The National Advisory Council (NAC) has reiterated that the Centre should specify the criteria for “Priority” and “General” households to be covered under the proposed National Food Security Bill. At its meeting held in New Delhi today, it was agreed that after the inclusion of all the eight highly vulnerable categories highest priority should be given to the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes to be identified priority groups under the proposed bill. The NAC decided to communicate this recommendation to the government. An NAC l release said that the proposed Bill on food security provides for mandatory inclusion of these highly vulnerable groups which also form part of the recommendations of the Saxena Committee Report. They include Vulnerable Tribal groups, most discriminated SC groups called Mahadalit groups, single women headed households, households with disabled persons as bread earners, households headed by a minor, destitute household dependent on alms for survival and the households where any member is a bonded labourer.It may be recalled that the expert committee on the Food Security Bill headed rangarajan had favoured the assured delivery of foodgrains at the rate of two rupees per kg for wheat and three rupees per kg for rice to the really needy households .It said that the coverage of the rest with varying quantum depending on the availability of the foodgrains could be done through an executive order.The expert group was also of the view that it may not be possible to implement the NAC recommended food entitlements. The NAC had earlier suggested 35 Kilogram of food grains at subsidised rates for 75 percent of the population and 20 kilogram for remaining 25 per cent for Above poverty line population.It was also decided to hold consultations with the DoPT before finalising recommendations on the proposed changes in the RTI rules. . The NAC was also briefed by the working group on ICDS reforms on the proposed course of action in this regard.