–PTI Chaibasa (Jharkhand): Maoists are taking away foodgrains meant for mid-day meals in schools and the public distribution system, and even controlling projects under MGNREGS in Naxal-affected areas of West Singhbhum district, a senior police officer said on Saturday. This was revealed during interrogation of an arrested hard-core Maoist, identified as Cherwa, said Superintendent of Police Pankaj Kamboj. Cherwa is an influential man in the area and a member of the management committee...

-The Times of India Leaders of four Left parties "CPM, CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc" on Tuesday handed over a memorandum signed by four crore people demanding effective food security law to the prime minister. Left leaders, including Prakash Karat (CPM), S Sudhakar Reddy (CPI), Debabrata Biswas (Forward Bloc) and T J Chandrachoodan (RSP) met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and urged him to bring a food security legislation in the ongoing budget...

-Tehelka The National Food Security Act is probably going to undergo many changes before it is presented in Parliament. But everyone seems to agree that it’s time has come Towards the end of January, a few days after Republic Day and a little over a week after the Congress’s conclave in Jaipur, large half-page advertisements appeared in major newspapers: “Celebrating the 63rd year anniversary of our Republic by putting food on everybody’s...

-Live Mint In Parliament address, Mukherjee says direct cash transfers will cut leakages and bring benefits to the poorest Acknowledging that growing aspirations, particularly among the youth, are going largely unmet, the government has signalled a policy makeover, including undertaking “difficult decisions”. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) also indicated that it was looking to the direct benefit transfer scheme based on the Aadhaar or unique identity system to restore the feel-good factor...

-The Times of India How much would it cost the central government to provide grain to the whole country at affordable prices? A calculation by the Delhi-based advocacy group Centre for Budget & Governance Accountability (CBGA) puts the figure at Rs 2,38,471 crore for one year. In the current financial year (2012-13), the Centre spent Rs 75,366 crore on the food subsidy, that is, about 0.74% of the gross domestic product....