Thaindian News

New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS) Terming the food security bill “historic”, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday urged the states to speedily reform the public distribution system (PDS) so that the government is in a position to implement the legislation when it is passed in parliament.

Addressing a meeting of chief secretaries here, Manmohan Singh said that introduction of the bill was a historic step taken by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

“Legal entitlements can become a reality only if we reform our public distribution system and reform it effectively and with speed… We should be in a position to effectively implement the food security bill by the time it is enacted as an act of parliament,” the prime minister said.

He said the country faced diverse challenges and that he had earlier grouped these into five broad categories - livelihood security, realisation of economic security, energy security, ecological security and concerns with national security.

“It is important that all of us have a clear understanding of these challenges. Also, to effectively overcome them, the centre and states need to work together,” Manmohan Singh said.

He said difficulties faced by the country were not unsurmountable.

“Indeed, we have faced uncertain times before. We have faced crises. We have faced difficult odds. But each time our nation has emerged stronger,” the prime minister noted.

“I have no doubt that whatever be the challenge, we have the will and the ability to achieve success, provided of course that we all work together and with firm resolve,” he said.

Complimenting the states for ensuring that the situation on the internal security front by and large remained stable in the last one year, the prime minister said “serious challenges and threats” from left-wing extremism, cross-border terrorism, religious fundamentalism and ethnic violence still persist.

“These need to be tackled with a firm and effective and yet sensitive hand,” he added.