While the National Advisory Council (NAC), Planning Commission and the Prime Minister Office are grappling over the proposed National Food Security Bill, the government has been steadily increasing allocation under the Targetted Public Distribution System (TPDS) during last many years. According to Siraj Hussain, chairman and managing director, Food Corporation of India (FCI), with the rise in procurement of wheat and rice by the corporation during last few years, more and...
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BJP unhappy over PDS in state
The Bharatiya Janata Party Nagaland expressed unhappiness over the Pubic Distribution System (PDS) of essential commodities in the state. It stated that the present PDS is in the hand of a few contractors, appointed by the government as state Stockiest and District Nominee, for mobilization/handling and transportation of essential commodities meant for districts on contractual basis by signing of an agreement for one year period. “These temporary deeds are purely for...
More »Govt cuts PDS foodgrain price after SC rap by Anindita Dey
In response to the Supreme Court order on rotting foodgrain, the Centre has decided to distribute wheat and rice to poor families at Rs 2 and Rs 3 per kilo, respectively. The Ministry of Food and Public Distribution System is also expected to brief the apex court on the steps taken to address the problem. In a letter to all states, the Centre has urged the state PDS machinery to distribute...
More »Bogus BPL card holders asked to surrender
Concerned over the huge mismatch between the Central estimate of 6.5 crores below poverty line families and the 11 crores BPL cards issued by the states under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), the food ministry has warned all the bogus card holders to surrender them or face criminal prosecution. The warning has been issued following the Supreme Court’s directive on August 31 asking the government to reform the TPDS and...
More »Foodgrains order will hit farmers, impact food security: Govt to SC by Krishnadas Rajagopal
The Union Food Ministry today told the Supreme Court that its suggestion on limiting food procurement to available storage facilities, if put to action, would hit the poor farmer and “drastically impact food security of the nation”. In a 19-page affidavit, C Vishwanath, joint secretary in the Ministry, said: “If Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state government agencies that do the work of procurement were to limit procurement only to...
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