New Delhi says yes to low-cost food for 800 million people
The government is set to launch a food security programme that would provide 5-kg of grain per person per month at fixed prices, as part of its Food Security Bill. However, many view the plan as "dangerous" for India's budget, a concern that has delayed the bill's approval by parliament.

New Delhi (AsiaNews/Agencies) - The Indian government is set to launch a food security programme that would provide low-cost food to 800 million people, this in a country that has a population of about 1.2 billion people.

The plan includes a 5-kg supply of grains per person per month at a fixed price of 1-3 rupees per kilo. The goal is to reduce the problem of hunger, which still touches two Indians in three.

The programme is part of the government's controversial Food Security Bill, already proposed several times by the ruling Congress party but not yet approved by Parliament.

Many critics have attacked it, arguing that it is a political move that threatens the government's finances.