A Parliamentary panel has recommended five kilograms of foodgrain entitlement per person, a month under the National Food Security Bill awaiting passage in Parliament. This will cover 67 per cent of population.

The Standing Committee on Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution in its report submitted to the Lok Sabha Speaker today, has agreed to the proposed coverage of 75 per cent of the population in rural and 50 per cent in urban areas.

Briefing reporters in New Delhi Committee Chairman, Vilas Muttemwar said, the Committee rice will be available at three rupees a kilogramme, wheat two rupees and millets one rupee.

The total quantity of foodgrains required to be distributed will be about 568 lakh tonnes, a year.

He said the committee did not favour cash transfer in lieu of foodgrain entitlements before banking infrastructure and accessibility facilities are in place in all parts of the country.

Muttemwar said the recommendations of the committee were unanimous with a lone member giving his dissent note.

He said the Committee has suggested more flexibility for state governments to extend the coverage beyond the numbers prescribed in the proposed bill out of their own resources to cover more population.

Muttemwar said that the Committee received 1.5 lakh representations from different sections of the society.