-The Hindu The currencies of India, Indonesia, Brazil, South Africa and Turkey have fallen quite dramatically against the dollar in the past few months. Whatever their domestic weaknesses, the reasons for this unprecedented decline - ranging between 13 to 21 per cent - are primarily global. In the past 48 hours, as tension mounts in West Asia, an already unprecedented situation has become even more difficult. On Wednesday, the rupee, as...

-PTI According to Planning Commission estimates, 21.9% of the people live below the poverty line in 2011-12. The food security programme is not restricted to the poor and the population covered by it is about three times the number of people below the poverty line, Parliament was told today. 'The government has decided to cover 67 per cent of the population under Food Security Act. The proposed coverage is not restricted to the...

-Down to Earth Development economist JEAN DREZE, known for his work on issues such as hunger, famine, social and human development in India, child health and education is not particularly happy with the way the National Food Security Bill has turned out. Although the proposed law has changed dramatically from the time Dreze pushed it during his days at the National Advisory Council, he is campaigning actively for its passage. Currently,...

-The Business Standard Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in a letter to the Prime Minister said "the newly introduced proviso leaves the fixation of the issue price to the discretion of the Central Government. Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government today said that the newly introduced proviso leaves in the Food Security Bill for the fixation of the issue price to the discretion of the Central Government would lead to an additional burden...

-The Economic Times NEW DELHI: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Thursday cleared an amendment to National Food Security Ordinance, Food Minister K V Thomas said. The move would raise grain allocation to many states under the new food security law, increasing the subsidy burden by Rs 5,094 crore. "The cabinet has agreed to the demand of 18 states, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam Andhra Pradesh, for additional allocation of food...