The Union Cabinet on Sunday evening approved the National Food Security Bill that will provide rice at Rs 3, wheat at Rs 2 and coarse grains at Re 1 per kg to over half of India's 1.2 billion population. 

The meeting was held at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's 7, Race Course Road residence. The cabinet on December 13 had deferred a decision on the Food Bill as the government thought it proper to bring the allies on board. 

Sources said agriculture minister Sharad Pawar has expressed concern that the food subsidy, currently at Rs.63,000 crore ($12 billion), may go up to Rs.1.2 lakh crore ($23 billion) to implement the right to food law. 

The food bill is the pet project of the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council and was part of the Congress manifesto for the 2009.(Times of India)