The much-awaited National Food Security Bill will be introduced in the winter session of Parliament incorporating some major changes recommended by the National Advisory Council, chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution K.V. Thomas told The Hindu on Sunday that the council proposed coverage of the food security scheme from the present 45 per cent to an estimated 63 per cent...

-The Business Standard   This year’s paddy procurement season has started with foodgrain stocks being more than double the buffer stock norms. An increase in grain stocks will put a strain on the already-scarce warehousing space, with consequences for safe storage and usability. Thus, excess holding of grains ought to be avoided. Maintaining a stockpile of nearly 55 million tonnes, with average economic cost of wheat and rice being Rs 18,000 per...

-The Economic Times   The increase in India's food subsidy bill after the introduction of the Food Security Act, which will guarantee subsidised grains to a large section of population, could damage the country's financial health, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar said here on Wednesday.  The situation is worrying even now, the minister said at the Economic Editors Conference here. "The issue price of grains for ration shops has not been changed for last...

-The Financial Express   Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said the proposed food security Act should target only needy sections of society for nutritional cover, citing an adverse impact on economy in case its ambit is widened — a stance contrary to the draft bill approved by the empowered group of ministers (EGoM) in July. The draft bill provides for the supply of subsidised coarse cereals for nutrional food security to the...

-The Business Standard   Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Karnataka have shown high-growth momentum in agricultural foodgrain production during the last five years and have the potential to contribute significantly to India’s foodgrain basket. The share of these low-foodgrain yielding states in the total foodgrain production of India have improved from 17.4 per cent to 19 per cent during 2002-06 period over 2007-11 period. However, the contribution of the states with high-yield foodgrain production like...