India's Public Distribution System (PDS) has been in a bad shape for decades, often thought to be beyond repair. Recent experience, however, suggests otherwise. Political will, increased transparency and community participation have led to an amazing revival of the PDS in Chhattisgarh though the state has only shown contempt for people's rights in other contexts… Somehow, the PDS became a political priority in Chhattisgarh and a decision was made to turn...

The NAC proposals for the food security bill are narrow and lack in vision. What is needed is a comprehensive bill with universalisation of PDS and a focus on child malnutrition.   There was much excitement when food security became one of the issues in the manifestos of most major political parties in the run up to the 2009 General Elections. With burgeoning Food stocks, double-digit food inflation, stagnant malnutrition rates, declining...

The Centre informed the Supreme Court on Thursday that it would soon put in place the National Food Security legislation after taking into consideration the recommendations of the National Advisory Council. This law would address the court's concerns over making foodgrains allotment to the States. Attorney-General G. E. Vahanvati told a Bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and Deepak Verma that pending enactment of the legislation, a committee was constituted to monitor...

The Centre today informed the Supreme Court it has set up a 10-member committee to monitor creation of foodgrain storage capacity and prudently manage stocks but sidestepped the matter of releasing more to the public distribution system (PDS). The committee will be headed by the secretary, food and public distribution. The court has repeatedly asked for more grain for ration shops so that it reaches the poor. The government has been resisting,...

The Union Food and Agriculture Ministry has turned down requests from Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh for resuming export of non-basmati rice. The government has banned export of wheat and non-basmati rice from February 2, 2007 and April 1, 2008 to stabilise prices of these commodities in the domestic market and to maintain sufficient stocks for ensuring food security in the country. Not acceded to “Requests were received from the State governments of...