Food security law to roll out by April: Ram Vilas Paswan

Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Thursday said that the National Food Security Law will be implemented in all states and Union Territories, except Tamil Nadu, by April this year. He also said that 25 states and UTs have so far rolled out the law. “When we came to power, the food law was implemented in only 11 states. Now, it has been rolled out in 25 states. All states and UTs, barring Tamil Nadu, will implement the law by April this year,” Mr Paswan said.

Among the states that have not yet rolled out the scheme are Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Megalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar, Mizoram, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Tamil Nadu. Mr Paswan also said that the direct cash transfer of food subsidy is being implemented on a pilot basis in Puducherry and Chandigarh. He said that Dadra and Nagar Haveli will also implement this pilot cash transfer scheme. In order to provide nutritional security to economically vulnerable sections and to have better targeting of “other welfare schemes” for the poor, Mr Paswan said a committee of ministers under his chairmanship has recommended providing milk and eggs.