All eyes are on the National Food Security Bill and what the UPA will name it. Given the fondness Congress leaders have repeatedly displayed in the past for the Nehru-Gandhi families when it came to naming schemes, there is little chance of it being any different this time. Indications are the Bill will be named after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as she personified women’s empowerment, which according to those in the know, this bill is all about.
“The naming will happen only after it is enacted by Parliament. Our priority is to get the Bill passed,’’ said an official. He also added that the role of the food ministry in the naming is limited as “the decision is political”. The official also said that sections in the UPA government were in favour of naming the scheme after Sonia herself, but it was decided later that such a move would stoke the Opposition’s antagonism and could result in scuttling the Bill.
The idea to call the scheme after Rajiv Gandhi was first mooted during the meeting of AICC office-bearers last month, where Congressmen from across the states demanded it should be named after party leaders. It was argued that Opposition-ruled states would appropriate the scheme as their own in the upcoming General Elections.
Meanwhile, the Food Ministry is busy fine-tuning the Bill in the manner Sonia Gandhi wants. She had asked the ministry to make some changes following an all-party meeting to ensure its smooth passage. She wanted contractors to be kept out of the programme, ensure the setting up community kitchens and food for the homeless.
As when the christening takes place, it will be the umpteenth central scheme to be named after the Nehru-Gandhi clan. Giving it company would be the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana, a power ministry scheme for rural electrification; Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission; Rajiv Gandhi National Crèche Scheme for the Children of Working Mothers; Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojana for benefit of North-East entrepreneurs; Indira Awas Yojana; Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme; Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission; Jawaharlal Nehru Rojgar Yojana; Rajiv Gandhi Shramik Kalyan Yojana; Indira Gandhi Canal Project funded by World Bank; Rajiv Gandhi Shilpi Swasthya Bima Yojana and Indira Vikas Patra.
There are also close to 60 state schemes named after the family, as well as 30 sports tournaments and trophies, 20 stadiums, 15 sanctuaries and museums, five airports and ports, over 100 educational institutions, more than 50 awards for excellence, 15 scholarships, 40 hospital and medical institutions, 37 institutions, chairs and festivals and hundreds of roads and crossings.
As the debate over what is in a name continues, partymen hope that Indira’s name would act as the lucky charm to get it passed in Parliament as well as bring the Congress back to power a third time.
-Sunday Standard