-The Hindustan Times The double standards are clear. In 2012, the US provided $100 billion for domestic food aid, up from the $95 billion it spent on feeding its 67 million undernourished population in 2010 including spending on food coupons and other supplementary nutrition programmes. In India, the Food Bill is expected to cost $20 billion and will feed an estimated 850 million people. Against an average supply of 358kg/person of...

-The Hindu     Concern over Procurement and distribution of subsidised foodgrains Asserting that India would soon be breaching its Aggregate Measurement of Support (AMS) commitments to WTO (World Trade Organization) due to its new food security programme, the newly-elected Director-General, Roberto Azevedo, on Monday, sought a positive solution to the issue before the Bali Ministerial to be held in December as some countries had expressed concern over the Procurement and distribution of highly...

-The Economic Times NEW DELHI: With paddy arrivals yet to pick up across Punjab, the state government now plans to make direct payments to farmers. The move is aimed to protect farmer's interest particularly the small and marginal from being exploited by the commission agents/arthiyas. The issue of direct Procurement and payment to farmers had been delayed for several years with both the Congress ruled and Akali-BJP government not keen to upset...

-The Business Standard Balancing duty to the poor while mitigating 'policy externalities' arising out of the food bill is India's latest challenge The government has fought all odds to get the food security bill - an entitlement programme that covers 67% of India's 1.2 billion large population under a subsidised grain regime, passed in the Parliament. But the battle now shifts to the global stage with India having to convince negotiators, particularly...

-The Business Standard The food security Act's provision for millets to every household is a magic bullet to attack malnutrition The food security Act has sought to address a nutritional imbalance in the public distribution system (PDS). The Act, by providing for a kg of millet per person at Rs 1/kg, would be a big step towards filling a wide gap in nutrition caused by the popularisation of cereals at the cost of...