The government today said that the proposed National Food Security Bill to ensure certain quantity of food grains to BPL families is under the consideration of the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM). In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, the Agriculture Minister, Mr. Sharad Pawar said that the requirement of food grains and the amount that the government will have to spend for the implementation of the proposed law will depend on several factors. These include central issue prices, economic cost and the number of beneficiaries. The Minister said no proposal has been received for implementing this law in a phased manner on the pattern of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. With regard to the estimation of poverty, he said that an expert group set up by the Planning Commission to examine the methodology for the purpose, has submitted its report and the process of finalizing the methodologies for the identification of the rural poor is being finalized. As far as the urban poor is concerned, the report by a group, set up by the Planning Commission, is awaited.