The Supreme Court Friday asked the central government why foodgrains it had procured but could not preserve because of inadequate storage capacity could not be given to the poor. "Procurement of adequate foodgrains is essential to provide food security and to protect the interest of the farmers. All through our anxiety has been that the procured foodgrains be properly preserved," said the bench of Justice Dalveer Bhandari and Justice Deepak Verma. However,...

The National Advisory Council (NAC), which recently approved subsidised food for 75 per cent of population, has entrusted the task of drafting the Food security Bill with a Working Group on food security for the consideration of the Council meeting, slated for November 26. The NAC working committee, while finalising the details of the Bill, will also look into proposals for introducing some reforms in the PDS system to efficiently carry...

It was an achievement that Uttar Pradesh’s Majhwara village cherished, calling it a victory of ballot over bullet. A day after the cremation of her husband — revenue inspector Ram Kumar Yadav — Kamla Yadav won the election for the post of the pradhan of this village in Sultanpur district. Ram Kumar was kidnapped and murdered after the October 11 polling. He was targetted — allegedly by BSP legislator Chandrabhadra Singh alias...

The National Advisory Council (NAC), led by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, may have suggested doubling food subsidies to keep an electoral promise, but the country’s food and agriculture minister, Sharad Pawar, is not amused. Pawar has expressed frustration at the NAC’s suggestion to provide subsidised food to 75% of the population. “It (the NAC proposal) reminds me of an old AICC (All Indian Congress Committee) resolution when I was a young...

Will UPA-II's ambitious food security programme work? The issue gains immediacy, with the National Advisory Council unveiling a new draft plan envisaging legal entitlement to subsidised foodgrain for at least 75 per cent of the population. That works out to almost 800 million people. If implemented, this means the government's food subsidy bill will be far bigger. Also, our groaning public distribution system will come under greater strain. Now, central...