At the same time, Paswan also expressed dissatisfaction over operation of PDS. "The benefit that should reach the poor is not reaching. There are many complaints about PDS."

With the expiry of the three-month deadline to states to implement the food law that costs over Rs one lakh crore, he said the Centre will give another extension to the states.

"There is no question of closing down the scheme. There is no question of closing down of the previous scheme also till the new one is fully implemented," he said.

He also rejected suggestions that the new government was not keen about the scheme launched by the previous government last year.

"There is no less enthusiasm. Many states had opposed the law. We are trying to implement the law at the earliest. We had given three months extension that has expired. There might be another extension given to states," Paswan said.

The Centre will also advise state governments to exclude tax-payers and class 1-2 officers from the beneficiaries' list under the food law, he told PTI in an interview.

Making it clear that the NDA government will not shelve the new law brought in by the previous UPA regime, Paswan said that the government will implement the Act but hinted there could be some amendments to remove anomalies in entitlement.

The Food law, that gives two-thirds of the country's population the right to subsidised foodgrains, was to be implemented by July 4, this year. Since all states did not roll out the law, a three-month extension was given, which expired on October 4.

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