Food Minister wants to hold talks with Jaya

NEW DELHI: Food Minister K V Thomas has sought an appointment with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa “to allay her apprehensions” about the National Food Security Bill, which was introduced in Parliament in the last session.Jayalalithaa had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last month alleging that the National Food Security Bill was replete with confusion and inaccuracies and “will make a mockery of providing food security”. She had also urged the Centre to leave designing and implementing of welfare schemes to the States and also requested that Tamil Nadu be exempted from the purview of the food bill. The food minister has sent his request in this backdrop.