Cabinet cleared Citizen Charter, Judicial Accountability and Whistle-blowers bills

In a key meeting on 13th december 2011 the Union Cabinet cleared three major anti-corruption bills – Citizen's Charter Bill, Judicial Accountability Bill and the Public Interest Disclosure and Protection to Persons Making the Disclosures Bill (Whistleblower's Bill). 

The Cabinet, however, deferred on the Food Security Bill as it required more discussion, sources said. Earlier, the Congress core group met ahead of the all-important Cabinet meet. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi and other senior Cabinet ministers belonging to the Congress discussed the details on the thee anti-corruption bills and Food Security Bill. The Food Security Bill, which will set the Centre back by Rs 1 lakh crore annually. Several ministers have pointed out that doling out food subsidy at a time when the economy is already in doldrums may not be a wise economic move. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Agriculture Minister and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and Planning Commission Deputy Chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia have objected to the bill in a Cabinet note.