Right to Food Campaign demands a universal PDS “It is a dishonest proposal of the government” The Right of Food Campaign has charged the Central government with lack of commitment in providing food and nutrition security to citizens with its reported decision to revise the issue prices of wheat and rice for the Above Poverty Line (APL) category of beneficiaries in the Public Distribution System (PDS). “This is the first step to finish...

The National Advisory Council, headed by Sonia Gandhi, today disapproved the exclusion of domestic workers from the purview of a proposed law for protection of women against sexual harassment at workplaces. The bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha during the winter session, aims to prevent harassment of women at the workplace by implied or overt promise of preferential treatment or threat or interference in work through intimidation. The NAC, which discussed the...

The National Advisory Council chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi today said the Forest Rights Act (FRA) needed strengthening and the Protection of Women against Sexual Harassment at Work Place Bill, 2010, must be extended to domestic workers. It also discussed how to push its views on the proposed National food security bill, apart from deciding to examine the working of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme. Aat a meeting today...

Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC) has reached a consensus on the final framework of the draft food security bill that aimed to make legal entitlement of foodgrains to the poor. "We have reached a consensus on the final framework of the food security bill," an NAC member said on condition of anonymity. The draft Bill is expected to be made public within 10 days. The NAC discussed its earlier recommendation of...

One more effort to make government reconsider objections The Sonia Gandhi-headed National Advisory Council (NAC) has decided to stick to its recommendations made on the draft National food security bill at its meeting on October 23 last, though these have been rejected by a government committee led by C. Rangarajan, who heads the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council. The committee was constituted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to examine the feasibility of...