Making a strong pitch for smooth passage of the food security bill, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday told parliament that the bill is a historic opportunity to provide food security to millions of people in the country and would forever end the problem of hunger.

Opening the debate in Lok Sabha on food bill, Gandhi rejected questions over whether the country had resources to implement the landmark legislation. She urged lawmakers to clear the flagship welfare scheme to provide cheap food to nearly 70% of the population, which will cost Rs 1.25 lakh crore.

"It is time to send out a big message that India can take responsibility of ensuring food security for all Indians... our goal is to wipe out hunger and malnutrition all over the country," she said.  “There are people who ask whether we have the means to implement this scheme. I would like to say that we have to figure out the means.

“The question is not whether we can do it or not. We have to do it.”

Agreeing that reforming the public distribution system (PDS) is necessary for the food law, Gandhi noted that there was basic need to remove the leakages to ensure that benefits of the food bill reached the intended beneficiary. Gandhi said the food security bill will make authorities accountable, help bring down corruption and improve the system.

Gandhi said the Congress had made a commitment to the nation in its 2009 election manifesto to bring forward such a legislation. She said it is one in a series of various rights promised and provided by UPA – like Right to Information Act, Right to Education Act, Right to Work Act and Right to Forest Produce Act.

The food security scheme has been championed by Gandhi and is being seen as an essential legislation to get Congress a third term in elections due in May 2014.

The government used special constitutional powers to introduce the scheme as an ordinance in July but it will lapse if it is not passed in this session of parliament, which ends on September 6. So far, a debate on the bill had been delayed because of disruptions on various issues.