Bill placed in JS with provision for life imprisonment

The "Production, Storage, Transfer, Transportation, Supply, Distribution and Marketing of Food Products (Prevention of Prejudicial Activity) Bill, 2023" with a provision of maximum lifetime imprisonment for illegal hoarding of foodstuff was placed in parliament on Thursday.

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder placed the bill, which was sent to the respective parliamentary committee for further scrutiny, reports UNB.

The committee was asked to submit its reports within five days.

The aim of the new bill is to curb illegal hoarding of food items and ensure food security.

In the proposed law, the punishment for illegal hoarding of food is maximum lifetime imprisonment or 14-year rigorous imprisonment and monetary punishment.

In the bill, mainly offences related to the production, storage, transfer, transportation, supply, marketing and distribution of food grains like paddy, rice, wheat, flour and corn have been identified. Punishments have been prescribed for those offences as per the magnitude of the crimes.

The new law has been framed in the combination of two old laws-- the Food (Special Court) Act, 1956 and the Food grains Supply (Prevention of Prejudicial Activity) Ordinance, 1979.