-The Deccan Herald   Agri Minister doubts existing mechanism enough for roll out Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Wednesday reiterated that augmenting grain production and overhaul of the Public Distribution System were critical to implementation of the Congress-led UPA Government’s ambitious National food security bill. “I will be failing in my duty if I do not emphasise the fact that the Food Security Act will never succeed in achieving its goal in letter and...

-The Telegraph   The proposed food security law may not succeed unless the government revamps the public distribution system (PDS) and creates back-up infrastructure, Sharad Pawar said today about the bill seen as a Sonia Gandhi pet project. “I will be failing in my duty if I do not emphasise the food security act will never succeed in achieving its goals in letter and spirit if we try to push the same through...

Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee took on the food ministry and publicly backed UIDAI chairman Nandan Nilekani's proposal to set up a new independent agency manned by professionals to computerise the public distribution system (PDS) as part of the reforms agenda and use the Aadhaar number as a base for the changes. Mukherjee was speaking at the meeting of state agriculture and food ministers in Delhi on Wednesday. TOI had earlier reported how...

The 2012-13 Budget may not have to provide as big a jump in the food subsidy bill as expected earlier. This is because of a series of measures initiated by the government to cut wastage and improve efficiency, food minister KV Thomas has said. The measures that would bring down the need for funds include the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and the setting up of modern grain storage facilities, which...

The Supreme Court verdict cancelling all the 122 telecom licences that jailed former telecom minister A Raja had issued to eight firms in 2008 has unexpectedly opened up a new window that can help the government earn up to Rs 75,000 crore. The revenue raised from the fresh auction of spectrum freed up after last week's SC ruling will come as a welcome relief for the government that has been struggling...