The Food Security Act was UPA-2’s flagship programme. Jean Dreze, member of the National Advisory Council, has publicly criticised the government. He tells VAIBHAV VATS what’s gone wrong. Much like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in the first term of the United Progressive Alliance, the Food Security Act was its most ambitious social welfare programme. Since discussions on the Act in the National Advisory Council began, its provisions...
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Food Security Sans PDS: Universalization Through Targeting? by Smita Gupta
The case of the Food Security Bill gets curiouser and curiouser. What started off as a fight between universalization and targeting has ended (or so it would seem) in a complete victory in the National Advisory Council, Government of India (NAC) for targeting through universalization (if such a thing was possible), with the honourable exception of Prof Jean Dreze, who has to be commended for his ‘note of disagreement’. On...
More »Food security: PM says will seriously evaluate NAC recommendations
The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, on Saturday, said that on his return to New Delhi, he would study the recommendations made by the National Advisory Council (NAC) on the issue of food security. Interacting with media persons accompanying him a three-nation visit to Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam, on a wide range of subjects onboard his special aircraft, Dr. Singh said: "When I will go back, I will try to acquaint...
More »Denial of grain to 7cr poor families: SC seeks answers
The SC on Friday wanted to know Centre’s response to a petitioner’s allegation that over 7 crore below poverty line (BPL) families have been left out of the ambit of the Public Distribution System (PDS) and deprived of subsidised foodgrains. A Bench comprising Justices Dalveer Bhandari and Deepak Verma asked Attorney General G E Vahanvati, who was busy in another court, to respond to this charge by November 11. Petitioner NGO...
More »Food security: NAC snubs Pawar
The National Advisory Council, headed by Congress Party president Sonia Gandhi, may have grudgingly settled for a much less ambitious National Food Security Act than previously envisaged. But a proactive Sonia now plans to push for a full-fledged ministry of food security, carving it out of the agriculture ministry headed by NCP chief Sharad Pawar. Sources said she had been advised by stakeholders in the party and outside that the ministry of...
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