Pass Food Bill in Monsoon Session: Left parties

The Left parties have threatened nation-wide agitations if the Government fails to pass the Food Security Bill in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament. Inaugurating a five-day protest sit-in by the Left parties here on Monday, the CPI (M) General-Secretary, Mr Prakash Karat, said the United Progressive Alliance Government is not committed in fulfilling the promise of an effective food security regime. The Left parties are demanding a universal public distribution system with no BPL-APL divide. They are also demanding that 35 kg of foodgrains at a maximum rate of Rs 2 a kg should be provided for a family every month. They want the Government to distribute the eight crore foodgrain stocks by increasing allocations at the earliest. The sit-in will conclude on August 3.