National

National Food Security Bill passed

Lok Sabha  passed the National Food Security Bill 2013. The Bill was adopted by the House through a voice vote after a day-long debate. The Bill seeks to give legal rights to get subsidized grains every month to 67 percent of the overall population of which 75 percent is rural and 50 percent is urban population.

As per the provisions of the Bill, the responsibility to identify the beneficiaries and implement the program under the Targeted Public Distribution Scheme is the responsibility of the states. The passage of the Bill in Parliament will guarantee 5 kilograms of rice, wheat and coarse cereals per month per person at the highly subsidised rates of 1-3 rupees a Kg.

Abdul Karim Tunda, a top 'bomber' of the Lashkar-e-Toiba, is a resident of Pilakhuwa area in Western Uttar Pradesh. was arrested by Delhi Police on 16 August 2013. He came to be known as 'Tunda' after losing his left arm in a bomb-making process. 

He is also accused of involvement in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. Tunda, 70 years old and wanted in several cases, is accused of masterminding over 40 bomb blasts in New Delhi, Panipat, Sonepat, Ludhiana, Kanpur and Varanasi between December 1996 and January 1998 that left 21 dead and over 400 injured.