Chhattisgarh government has decided to continue with its own food security law but would comply with the provisions of the Centre’s legislation that has been passed recently by the Parliament.
The decision was taken by the state cabinet on Thursday.
According to sources, the state government has decided to retain all the provisions of its own food law, which was enacted last year. It also decided that state would fulfil its various responsibilities entrusted under the central food security law.
During the meeting, Chief Minister Raman Singh said that state government in its own law has provided more food grains to the poor compared with the Centre’s ordinance.
The government has decided to retain all provisions of its own food law for the benefit of the people of the state, Mr. Singh said, while adding that obligations provided under the Central Ordinance for food law would also be fulfilled.
The Cabinet also decided that the state consumer disputes redressal commission would function as state food commission, as required under the central law.
Under the Chhattisgarh food law, the state government is providing 35 kg of food grains per month to 42 lakh poor families at Rs 1.2 per kg.
On Thursday, President gave his assent to the Centre’s landmark Food Security Bill, aimed at giving a legal right on highly subsidised food grains to 67 per cent of the country’s population.
Under the central law, 5 kg of rice, wheat and coarse cereals would be provided per month per person at Rs. 3, Rs. 2 and Re. 1 respectively.
