The reconstructed National Advisory Council (NAC), headed by United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, will consider the food security Bill as its first priority when it meets again next month. At its first meeting held here today, Gandhi’s team decided to meet again on July 1 to discuss the Bill and finalise its recommendations. NAC has also decided to revisit the Communal Violence (prevention) Bill, which has been lying with the...
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Sonia against cut in PDS kerosene allocation
Never mind the Kirit Parikh committee's proposal for a 20% reduction in pan-India allocation of subsidised kerosene to stem oil companies' under-recoveries, the UPA government might do just the opposite. It is mulling not only the retention of the commodity—used by a vast segment of rural India for lighting—in the targeted public distribution system (TPDS) but also introduction of another item: edible oil. Even as she is about to take over...
More »Govt may offer cash to poor who fail to get food by Liz Mathew
A new draft of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) suggests offering cash compensation to poor people who are unable to receive their quota of subsidized foodgrains. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government will discuss the draft with state food secretaries in a meeting on 14-15 June. “The Central government shall set up, by notification, a central food security fund for payment of compensation to state governments in the event...
More »NAC Chief Sonia scores on Food Bill by AM Jigeesh
THE NATIONAL Advisory Council ( NAC) headed by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has scored its first victory — a change in the proposed Food Security Bill that raises the monthly allocation of foodgrains to the poor from 25 kg to 35 kg at Rs 3 a kilo. The draft Bill, approved by the empowered group of ministers ( EGoM) recently, had offered 25 kg of foodgrains to those below the poverty...
More »Agriculture ministry officials to frequent fields by Shishir Behera
Stung by last year’s worst drought in decade that trimmed foodgrain production by more than 15 million tonne, the agriculture ministry asked all its top bureaucrats to visit different states and spend more time in the field this year to ensure timely supply of inputs to farmers and prevent a repetition of last year if monsoon become uncertain. The move is also meant to effectively monitor the sowing process and...
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