From Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI: AICC president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday asked chief ministers of Congress-ruled states to expeditiously implement the food security scheme in “letter and spirit” but the party said its proactiveness on the issue does not mean early polls.
The measure, which is seen by the party as a “game changer” in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, was discussed threadbare as Gandhi and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh held deliberations with chief ministers of 13 Congress-ruled states on how to implement the scheme seeking to provide cheap foodgrains to 82 crore people, for which an ordinance was promulgated last week.
During the meeting, Gandhi asked the chief ministers to speedily implement the scheme in “letter and spirit” so that “nobody sleeps hungry”, party sources said. However, the party said its proactiveness on the issue does not mean early polls.
“Don’t link this ordinance with the elections. We have been saying that the issue of food security should not be looked at from the prism of politics,” AICC general secretary and Communication Department in-charge Ajay Maken, who was also present in the meet, said.
The meeting was held at a time when the party is preparing for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and is keen to reach out to the people with its populist measure.
Delhi, where assembly polls are due by year-end, will be the first state to roll out the scheme on August 20, the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
The party vice president Rahul Gandhi, food minister K V Thomas, AICC general secretaries and Core Group members were present during the deliberations.
The aim of the meeting was to ensure that the scheme is implemented in the best possible manner with Congress-ruled states becoming role models in implementation of the food security measure.
Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh pointed out the problem of carriage of the foodgrains in the hilly areas, while Mizoram Chief Minister Lalthanhawla raised the issue of financial constraint before the state but not specifically related to food security, the sources said.
Randeep Surjewala, one of the Congress spokespersons, will visit Meghalaya and few other states in this regard. Other spokespersons will visit remaining states, party sources said.
After the meeting, all the chief ministers thanked Congress chief, Prime Minister and Rahul Gandhi for bringing about this landmark legislation which will help empower 82 crores Indians with a legal right to food and will serve as a bulwark to fight against malnutrition and deprivation. (With inputs from PTI)
