President Pranab Mukherjee did not make a delay in signing the food security ordinance after the Union cabinet approved it. However, it needs approval both in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha within six weeks of the Parliament’s upcoming session.

After the ordinance becomes a law, it will guarantee 5 kg rice, wheat or millet per person at Rs 3, 2 and Re.1 respectively per kg every month to 67 per cent of the population.

However, the BJP expressed its doubt over the motive of the Congress in bringing the bill, which was to be introduced a long before during the UPA II regime. While Congress is being criticized for its alleged involvement in series of scams and scandals, the party made urgency in food security bill ahead of the election year. The main opposition said that the government took the ordinance route to make it into a law without presenting it in the Parliament for a debate.

The bill can be considered as a game changer for the Congress during election campaign.