The government has a plan to reach welfare to the poor without wasting money. It wants to put hard cash in their hands instead of spending on welfare programmes. To begin with, it wants to end the public distribution system of food grain and give money directly to the people. Its logic: the new system of cash transfer will plug leakages and save an enormous amount of money. But is it...
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Food Security Bill is ready: K.V. Thomas
Tipped as the flagship programme of the second United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, the proposed Food Security Bill is ready, union minister K.V. Thomas said Saturday. Thomas, who recently was given independent charge of the consumer affairs, food and public distribution ministry, told reporters here that his department was ready with the path-breaking Food Security Bill. 'Early next month, it will be taken up for discussion by the National Advisory Committee and...
More »Govt raises APL foodgrain prices by over 40 per cent by Ravish Tiwari
In a major decision that is likely to add to the double-digit food inflation, the government has quietly raised foodgrain prices for Above Poverty Line (APL) families by over 40 per cent. The decision to this effect was taken at the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on December 30. “The Committee considered the note dated 04/10/2010 from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs,...
More »Indian consumers fight weak laws, slow courts by Rama Lakshmi
In a packed special court that hears consumer complaints, Hansraj Sharma nervously shuffled through a pile of papers that told the story of his decade-long battle against a car dealer and a bank. District and state-level consumer courts twice sided with Sharma, awarding him $800 for a shady loan scheme. But the defendants repeatedly appealed. Now, after 58 court appearances, his case still drags on. "They keep asking for adjournment on some...
More »Worried Centre abolishes import duty on onions by Sujay Mehdudia
Stung by the skyrocketing retail prices of onion in the country, the Centre on Thursday announced abolition of import duties and banned its exports for an indefinite period. Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar, who is personally monitoring the situation, asked the State governments to take strong action against hoarders. He asked the Commerce Ministry to import onions to cool down prices. The government directed its three trading companies — STC, PEC and MMTC...
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