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Differences with FM cost me my portfolio: Sharad

Union Food Minister Sharad Yadav on Wednesday indicated that differences of opinion he had with the then Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha on issues like labour reforms and employees' provident fund could have led to change in his portfolio as labour minister.

"I had differences with some of my colleagues, particularly finance minister, over issues like labour reforms and interest rate on Employees Provident Fund," the minister said soon after assuming charge of the food ministry.

Asked about the possible reasons behind the change in portfolio, he said" "I do not know, but I did have differences with other ministerial colleagues".

He said allocation of portfolios is the prerogative of the prime minister and that he is neither happy nor sad with the change in ministry but will continue to work religiously in his new charge.

Yadav said while everyone agreed that labour reforms were necessary, differences cropped up with colleagues on certain finer details.

The differences were in the process of being sorted out when the Cabinet was reshuffled, he said.

Yadav further said his priority, as the food minister, would be to deliver both social and economic justice to the underprivileged by bringing about a balance between surplus stocks and hunger in the country.

"The very purpose of having a food and public distribution ministry is to ensure nationwide food security and my efforts will be to brace up for the big challenge," the minister said soon after assuming charge of his new portfolio.

He lamented that many people do not even understand the meaning of social justice, which is integral to providing food security to the hungry.

He said as food minister he will consult his predecessor Shanta Kumar and continue the latter's work in the domain of reforms in food management.

"I am aware of the paradox of surplus foodgrains in the godowns even as many go hungry and to tackle this is going to be the biggest challenge," he said adding the relationship between hunger and self-sufficiency will have to be reworked.

Unorganised labourers, daily wage earners, millions of poor in the villages must be provided succour and solace through proper food supply within the overall framework of socio-economic justice, he added.

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