Food security bill will be announced any time: Minister

The Central government would announce the Food Security Bill "any time", Minister of State for Agriculture, KV Thomas said in Chennai today.

The Central government would announce the Food Security Bill "any time", Minister of State for Agriculture, KV Thomas said in Chennai on Friday.

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"Discussions on the Food Security Bill is going on with every state, NGOs... It (the Bill) is in the process... We have an EGoM (empowered Group of Ministers) for this and we have to discuss with the Planning Commission. This has to be implemented by the Cabinet," he told reporters.

"Actually, from the side of the Agricultural Ministry we are ready. Finally, the Cabinet has to do that... It will be implemented as soon as possible," he said.

Stating that the food subsidy should reach the right people, he said huge responsibility was resting on Government of India, including state governments and the panchayats on implementing this scheme.

On initiatives taken for increasing food production, he said his ministry was working on various projects.

"We have got some major projects for food production..including a Rs 25,000 crore project..." he said.

In his inaugural address at "FoodCon 2010", a conference on Latest Trends in Food Processing and Preserving Technologies, organised by Confederation of Indian Industry, he appealed to CII to take up initiatives on activities carried out by food and agriculture research institutes.

"It (SPV) can showcase international and national investment opportunity to facilitate such projects. There is a necessity to develop globally competitive grain quality," he added.