One started reading the new Draft National Land Acquisition and Resettlement and Rehabilitation Bill 2011 with expectations of a great improvement over the 2007 Bills. There are indeed some very good features in the new Bill but, on the whole, one must regretfully report disappointment. Let us see how the Bill deals with some of the key issues involved. (i) Acquisition of agricultural land: The Bill rules out the acquisition, not...

-The United Nations   The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) today launched a web-based tool that gives governments and health-care providers access to clear guidance on how to scale up life-saving nutrition interventions to combat all forms of malnutrition. The WHO e-Library of Evidence for Nutrition Actions (eLENA), launched at the beginning of a three-day Asian regional meeting on nutrition in Colombo, Sri Lanka, is designed to help governments overcome one...

-FnBnews.com   The Working Group for Children Under Six (Jan Swasthya Abhiyan - Right to Food Campaign) is appalled by the scant regard for children in the draft National food security bill of the Government of India that has been approved by the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM), according to a press note issued by the Right to Food Campaign on Monday. The note further states, "Not only does this draft do grave...

-PTI   The Centre will soon initiate the consultation process with the state governments on the draft National food security bill that aims to provide legal right on subsidised foodgrains to 68 per cent of India's population. "We will at the earliest start the consultation process with the states. The law ministry has already vetted the draft bill and the same has been communicated to the Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee," Food Minister K...

The “80 per cent consent” clause in the draft land acquisition bill may be extended to government projects too, rural development ministry sources have said. In its current form, the draft bill makes the consent of 80 per cent of the landowners mandatory only in case of land acquisition for private industry. In case of land acquisition for government projects, the draft merely requires “consultations” and not consent. However, among the several...