This Article is From Dec 13, 2011

Cabinet to discuss crucial bills today

Cabinet to discuss crucial bills today
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet is scheduled to meet today to discuss crucial bills like the Food Security Bill, the Citizen's Charter Bill, the Judicial Accountability Bill and the Whistleblowers Bill.

The National Food Security Bill proposes an expenditure of 95,000 crore for implementing the framework legislation on food security. The draft bill, which bears the stamp of Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council, seeks to cover upto 75 percent of the rural population and 50 percent of urban households. It proposes right to 7 kg foodgrains per month per person, at Rs 3 per kg for rice, Rs 2 per kg for wheat and Rs 1 per kg for coarse grains to the priority beneficiaries.

"We have fast-tracked the process and will introduce the bill this session of Parliament," Food Minister KV Thomas told reporters yesterday.

The Whistleblowers Bill or the Public Interest Disclosure and Protection to Persons Making the Disclosures Bill seeks to protect RTI and other activists.

The other key bill that the Cabinet will discuss today is the Judicial Accountability Bill. It seeks to lay down judicial standards and provide for accountability of judges.

The Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill 2010 was introduced in the Lok Sabha last year. It was later sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel and Law and Justice.

A key recommendation of the committee that seeks to "restrain" judges from making "unwarranted comments" against other constitutional bodies or persons in courts has been accepted by the government. It has however refused to concede to Team Anna's demand for including judicial corruption. (With Agency inputs)

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