-PTI Pitching for direct cash transfer of food subsidy, Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Tuesday assured this would not result in dismantling of current system of procuring grains at minimum support price (MSP) and distribution through PDS. "...about the cash transfer (of subsidy), the accusation is that you want to dismantle the PDS. This is completely wrong because there is no question of dismantling the minimum support prices," Ahluwalia...

-PTI Zee News on Saturday said it has sent a Rs 150 crore defamation notice to Congress MP and industrialist Naveen Jindal, who too had filed a Rs 200 crore case against the media conglomerate claiming the TV channel had tried to extort money from his company. "Zee News has granted a three-day time period to Mr Naveen Jindal to withdraw all his unsubstantiated and defamatory allegations against Zee News, failing which...

-The Deccan Hearld Just days after the government launched the Aadhaar enabled cash transfer system; a national panel has been set up on Thursday to expedite implementation of the direct electronic cash transfer system to help Beneficiaries under various welfare schemes. According to a PMO statement, The National Committee on Direct Cash Transfer, headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, will identify the schemes to be covered and oversee the smooth rollout of...

-The Economic Times The Food Security Act would encourage below poverty line women to have more children, defeating the government's population-control efforts, says one of the 1.6 lakh opinions the standing committee on food and consumer affairs has received. The suggestion, hence, is to remove pregnant women from the list of Beneficiaries of the food security bill. This is not the only shocking suggestion. Another suggestion is to avoid nutritional protection to...

-The Times of India UPA's National Food Security Bill is facing resistance from not just opposition parties and other expected quarters such as the Trinamool Congress, but also a crucial ally, Samajwadi Party. Uttar Pradesh CM, Akhilesh Yadav, in a two-page letter to PM Manmohan Singh has said that the bill in its present form won't benefit poorer states and should be amended.  For the UPA, which is already beset with pending...