Shortage of funds delays Food Bill : Pawar

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Sunday said that it may be difficult to implement the proposed Food Security Bill without adequate funds to boost agricultural output.

Expressing concern over poor budget allocation for the farm sector, Mr. Pawar said, the total budgeted provision for the entire Agriculture Ministry is 20,000 crore rupees and the subsidy as of today is 65,000 crore rupees, which might go to one lakh crore rupees in the current year.

Speaking to a private TV channel in New Delhi , the Agriculture Minister said that unless and until we increase production, we will not be comfortable to implement the Food Security Bill.

The Bill, which aims to provide legal right over cheap foodgrains to 63.5 per cent of the country's population, has been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee.