Food Security Bill will deprive 1.47-lakh poor families 10kg of grain in Gujarat: Modi

Botad, 2 September 2013

The BJP supported Food Security Bill(FSB) in Lok Sabha, but Gujarat Chief Minister who had earlier written a letter pointing out loopholes in FSB continues to criticize FSB.

Speaking about the Food Security Bill, Mr. Modi today at Botad said that there is nothing new about it as Gujarat has been giving 35 kg of food grain at the rate of wheat at Rs.2/kg and rice at Rs.3/kg. On the contrary, the proposed Act to provide only 25 kg of food grain would deprive 10 kg of food grain to 1.47-lakh poor in Gujarat alone.

Speaking at function to mark the unveiling of the newly created Botad district at Botad, he said it is high time to save the nation from the clutches of the Congress party under the spell of bad governance. The party has emptied India’s coffer and pushed the nation to the brink of a grave crisis.

Modi said that the present rulers at the Centre seem to be under the ill-omen of mega bad governance, describing the mess as ‘maha bhayanak kushashan rajyoga’.

He said that the people have lost faith in the present rulers at the Centre who have miserably failed to fulfill the promises they had made to the people ever since Independence. He said that instead of providing the basic facilities at the doorsteps of the people in a welfare state, they are engaged in all kinds of bad governance.

In sharp contrast, the Chief Minister said the present Gujarat Government is engaged in all round development of the state in implementing various welfare programmes for the poor, persecuted and the oppressed.

Taking a dig at the Central Government refusing permission to raise the height of Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) dam on the Narmada, Mr. Modi said the Prime Minister now feigns ignorance about the Gujarat’s repeated memorandum to the Centre for the same. At present, the surplus rainwater is just going waste, flowing down the river into the sea.

The new Botad district comprises 189 villages in four talukas of Gaddha, Barwala, Ranpur and Botad. He pledged to develop the new district, known as the land of Zaverhand Meghani. It is one of the seven new districts inaugurated on the Independence Day on August 15, 2013. Mr. Modi had earlier visited Somnath to say prayers there on the holy Monday of auspicious month of Shravana.

Energy Minister Saurabh Patel said the Narmada water is expected to contribute to the development of Botad district, besides Special Investment Region (SIR) at Dholera, through Botad and Limdi Branch Canals, to fill up Krishna Sagar, Sukhbhadar, Goma and other lakes.

Others who spoke on the occasion included Water Resources Minister Nanubhai Vanani, MP Rajendrasinh Rana, MLA Jitubhai Vaghani, Collector M.A. Narmawala and DDO Suthar.

Those present included Bhavnagar Panchayat President Vimlaben Bagadia, MLAs Vibhavariben Dave, Bhartiben, Dr. T.D. Mania, Shambhunath Tundia, Atmaram Parmar, Lalji Mer, Kisan Morcha’s Babubhai Jebaliya, Board Chairman Amobhai Shah, Ahmedabad District Panchayat President Suresh Patel, Bhavnagar District Collector P.K. Solanki, Bhavnagar Mayor Babubhai Solanki, T.M. Patel and others.