The results for the assembly elections held across five Indian states, announced yesterday, threw up some surprises. But a welcome surprise in these elections was the high voter turn out. Voters, and particularly women voters, went to the polls in unexpectedly high numbers. Voter turnout jumped nearly 50 percent in one state, Uttar Pradesh, and women voted at higher rates than men in all five states that had elections. Activists credit...

Various government policies such as the public distribution system (PDS), mid-day meal, food for work programme, National Rural Employment Guaranty Scheme (NREGA) have failed to create food security at the household level, says a study by Gujarat Institute of Development Research. The findings of a primary survey of 110 households undertaken in two districts of two villages - a tribal district and a developed one - in Gujarat showed that about...

Sexagenarian Ajit Singh, a small time farmer, is worried about the hefty expenses on his son's marriage The likes of Ajit Singh blame government for withdrawing supply of most of the essential commodities including sugar, soap, tea leaves, clothes etc. made under public distribution system (PDS) through ration depots. Talking to TOI on Friday Ajit Singh, resident of Dharpai village, said he remembers how his father's friends and relatives pooled in their...

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has once again cold-shouldered the Centre’s overtures to win the Trinamool Congress’ support for the National Food Security Bill. Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, K V Thomas, visited Kolkata on Friday, but returned without meeting Banerjee. Though Thomas’ office had written to Banerjee to propose the meeting to allay concerns of the Bengal government over the bill, it...

-PTI Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, who has cited difficulties in implementing the Food Security Bill, today said there should not be any problem in rolling out the proposed law in the wake of record foodgrain output.  "This year, we will break last year's record by reaching 250 million tonnes of foodgrains," Pawar told reporters on the sidelines of Kharif Conference 2012 here.  "With this background, to implement the Food Security Bill, I don't...