-Live Mint Food minister K.V. Thomas is holding day-long discussions with state food ministers and officials in the national Capital in a bid to overcome their objections and push forward the government’s ambitious food security legislation. The government will present the revised food security Bill in the Budget session of Parliament beginning 21 February, he said in his opening remarks. “We intend to present the revised Bill in Parliament in the forthcoming Budget...
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Protests, the Justice Verma Committee and the Government Ordinance-Albeena Shakil
-Economic and Political Weekly The government’s response to the protests led by the youth against the gang rape incident in New Delhi, in the form of an ordinance has not met the aspirations of the many protestors and the woman rights’ organisations. It can in fact be accused of being vindictive, having ignored the thoroughgoing recommendations of the government appointed justice Verma committee's report. Albeena Shakil (albeenashakil@gmail.com) is a women rights’ activist...
More »Centre seeks states' consensus on contentious Food Bill issues
-PTI He was addressing the consultation meet of state food ministers on Food Bill here. With Centre planning to present Food Bill in the Budget session of Parliament, Food Minister K V Thomas today urged states to evolve a consensus on contentious issues like coverage and identification of beneficiaries. The Food Bill, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2011, aims to give legal right over subsidised foodgrains to two-third of...
More »From Bengal Famine to Right to Food-MS Swaminathan
-The Hindu While there is reason to be proud of the progress in the production of wheat, rice, cereals and millets, the use of farmland for non-farm purposes is a cause for concern The year 2013 marks the 70th anniversary of the Bengal Famine which resulted in the death of an estimated 1.5 to 3 million children, women and men during 1942-43. A constellation of factors led to this mega-tragedy, such as...
More »Bhutan set to plough lone furrow as world's first wholly organic country -John Vidal and Annie Kelly
-The Guardian By shunning all but organic farming techniques, the Himalayan state will cement its status as a paradigm of sustainability Bhutan plans to become the first country in the world to turn its agriculture completely organic, banning the sales of pesticides and herbicides and relying on its own animals and farm waste for fertilisers. But rather than accept that this will mean farmers of the small Himalayan kingdom of 1.2 million people...
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