The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) on Wednesday moved a step closer to introducing its ambitious food security legislation after the coalition’s political leadership agreed to restrict the proposed universal public distribution system (PDS) to the poorest of the poor in the initial phase. Members of the National Advisory Council, or NAC, which serves as the political interface between the government and the Congress party and is chaired by Congress president...
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APL can be roped into food security scheme by limiting BPL quota: Rangarajan by Gargi Parsai
Ultimately, the answer lies in increasing farm production and productivity The Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, C. Rangarajan, on Tuesday suggested that people Above the Poverty Line (APL) could be considered for the mandatory food security scheme by limiting the subsidised foodgrains entitlement of Below the Poverty line (BPL) beneficiaries to 30 kg per month per family (instead of 35 kg). “An alternative is to give the...
More »NAC to okay food bill on Wednesday by Devesh Kumar
The National Advisory Council likely to approve on Wednesday the draft of the National Food Security Bill. The scheme will be rolled out in the 150 poorest districts first on the basis of a `notional universalisation.’ Rejecting the recommendation put forward by the EGoM, NAC, at its meeting held on July 1, settled for the distribution of 35 kg of grain, either wheat or rice, to every poor household, but...
More »Rising milk prices: Common man suffers again
Following a hike in the prices of petrol, diesel, gas, milk prices have also gone up. Between January 2007 and March 2010 the price of milk rose seven times in Delhi. The story is similar elsewhere in the nation too. In the last one year, prices increased from Rs 17 to Rs 22 a litre. In some cities, like Mumbai, the rise has been steeper. Earlier, it was pulses that were burning...
More »Law to ensure cheap grain for poor
The government will enact a legislation to ensure subsidised wheat and rice to the poor, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said at a seminar titled Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern States. “We are committed to enacting a legislation on food security (called National Food Security Act). But to make it successful, we need to produce more, procure more and strengthen the delivery mechanism for making foodgrain accessible to the poor at affordable...
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