At August 30 meet, it was felt there should be a system of two prices, differential entitlements Since then, nac Working Group on Food Security has had detailed discussions The Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (nac) may be close to finalising the contentious Food Security Bill when it meets here on September 24. Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and officials from Ministries concerned, including Women and Child Development Secretary, will be...

Among the various definitions of "noise" is this one: "Something that draws public notice". And "Making Noise" is precisely what groups all over India are doing, or planning to do, in the days ahead in order to wake up the government to its promises. In the year 2000, India was among the countries that had signed on to achieve, by 2015, the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These goals...

To avoid a big burden on the exchequer from the proposed food security law, the Planning Commission will propose some key changes to the plan, including a virtual abandonment of the concept of universal public distribution system (PDS) endorsed by the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (nac). Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia in a presentation to Gandhi later this week would suggest that under the proposed scheme, grain be...

A crucial meeting of the National Advisory Council (nac), which may finalise the draft food bill, will be held Sep 24, informed sources said here Monday. The previous meeting, chaired by nac chairman Sonia Gandhi, Aug 30 could not finalise the draft bill, which should be sent for the government's consideration, as there was no consensus among the nac members on whether to confine food security only to people below poverty...

All speakers addressing the main session of the World Water Week in Sweden during 5-11 September were presented with a beautifully wrapped bottle of tap water! Yes, you heard right: tap water from Stockholm. It is a symbol of achievement that the Swedes love to flaunt—and rightly so. It is also the best gift the Indian government can give to all Indians in general, and particularly those 500-odd million that live...