Sunday will mark the fifth anniversary of the landmark National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (later rechristened the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, or MGNREGA). At a time when the country is debating the contours of similar landmark legislation for food security (the National Food Security Act), it is time to evaluate the working of MGNREGA, initially implemented in 200 of the country’s poorest districts and expanded to all...
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NAC to consult ministries on Food Security Act
The National Advisory Council is still working on the amount of grain to be distributed to each family under the Food Security Act. It will hold consultations with ministries of rural development and food and the Planning Commission before it firms up its suggestions for the proposed legislation. The panel, which met on Monday, considered the economic cost of various options to meet the goal of food security. The NAC...
More »food security bill to face cost checks by Radhika Ramaseshan
Before cheap food for all, a reality check on the bill. The Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council will draft the food security law only after talking to the various ministries to get a “realistic” idea of the cost to the government. A fully universal food law already seems unlikely after the government and the Planning Commission questioned how feasible such a move would be in the current fiscal and agricultural situations. Today’s council...
More »NAC meet tomorrow to discuss draft of food security bill by Smita Gupta
Food grain entitlement programme to start in the 150 poorest districts in the first year The Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC) is yet to reconcile the government's assurance of a monthly provision of 25 kg of foodgrains for every family with its desire to enhance it to 35 kg. Nor has it been able to resolve the contentious question of dual pricing — Rs. 3 a kg for the poor...
More »NAC to firm up food security bill by Nitin Sethi
The Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC) will meet on August 30 to finalise the contours of the National food security bill. The meeting is expected to decide on the beneficiaries for UPA's big-ticket social scheme and their selection procedures. At its last meeting, NAC had drawn part conclusions, including National Food Security Act would be rolled out in a staggered way. For instance, 150 most poor districts are being...
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