When Chidambaram saved the day

While GoMs often come in handy to reconcile differences among coalition partners over important policy matters of the government,their efficacy may leave much to be desired. An example is the National Food Security Bill,where a controversial provision in the draft Bill went unnoticed even by senior ministers like Pranab Mukherjee,A K Antony,Mamata Banerjee and Sharad Pawar among others during the GoMs meeting in February. To exclude regions affected by extremist or terrorist/Naxalite activities or insurgency from the ambit of the draft Bill was the provision in question. It was only during the meeting this Thursday that Home Minister P Chidambaram,who too is part of the GoM,took note of this provision and immediately objected to it. It was a case of better late than never. The ministry mandarins had to admit their error and rectify it before the Bill was finally sent off to the Cabinet.