A panel headed by the PM's chief economic advisor C Rangarajan has recommended exporting 2 million tonnes (mt) of wheat at a subsidy of Rs 1,500 crore through government channels and another 1 mt through private traders at a subsidy of Rs 150 crore. Warning that just exports would not be enough to manage the overflowing godowns and could cause political problems, the panel has also recommended distribution of 8 mt...
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And not a grain to eat-Brinda Karat
What stops the government from using good harvests to reduce, if not eliminate, hunger? For ordinary folk, a 3 per cent increase in food grain production over that of last year, combined with strong procurement operations and good buffer stocks of rice and wheat would be a cause for some celebration. It would be seen as an opportunity to tackle the widespread food insecurity that exists in India today. Instead, we...
More »Unsold jute bags stack up, but govt OKs import-Deeptimaan Tiwary
Even as the government races against time to procure enough jute bags to store grains in the face of record procurement , gunnysack traders are saddled with massive unsold stocks. A look at the godowns of some traders in the national capital alone shows there is no shortage of jute bags in the country. While the central government has placed an order for four lakh jute bags to be imported from...
More »Just let the press be -Sashi Kumar
Justice Markandey Katju's prescription for a regulated media regime is a misplaced step that can actually de-democratise the fourth estate. IT is open season on the political class and the news media. But then, again, it's more like a chase of one's own tail. A self-righteous, delusional, Anna-Baba NGO-ised fringe sets out to stigmatise politics and Members of Parliament; the news media salivate at the prospect and rush to provide...
More »Vegetable prices surge 61%, fuel 7.2% inflation in April
-The Economic Times Soaring vegetable prices pushed inflation higher in April, while fuel and manufactured product prices sustained their pressure posing a fresh policy challenge and announcing the return of price pressures in Asia's third-largest economy. Data released by the commerce & industry ministry on Monday showed the annual rate of inflation, based on monthly wholesale price index, stood at 7.23% for April, 2012, compared to 6.89% for the previous month and...
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