-Press Information Bureau In order to make the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) more focused and targeted at the poorest of the poor, Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) was launched in December, 2000 in all States/UTs for one crore families to be identified from the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. Coverage under this scheme has been expanded thRice since then i.e. during 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 covering additional 50 lakh households each...
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Centre approves Rs 511 crore for drought, flood-hit Rajasthan, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh
-The Economic Times An Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on drought, headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, on Wednesday approved Rs 511-crore assistance for Rajasthan, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh - the states affected by floods and droughts in 2012. Further, an additional grant of Rs 256 crore was given to Maharashtra for rejuvenation of orchards. However, the high-level committee didn't take a decision on extending the duty-free import of oil cakes for...
More »Food Security Bill could violate India’s subsidy pledge at WTO -Amiti Sen
-The Hindu Business Line As the Food Security Bill awaits Parliament clearance, India fears that implementation of obligations under the Bill may lead to breach of farm subsidy limits fixed by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and attract penalties if some global rules are not amended. New Delhi is, therefore, scouting for support at the WTO in seeking an amendment to the Agreement on Agriculture (AOA) to remove limits on public stockholding...
More »Pass food Bill even without amendments: Sen-Gargi Parsai
-The Hindu Nobel laureate Amartya Sen is upset that disruption of Parliament has held up passage of important legislation including the UPA's flagship National Food Security Bill. Nobel laureate Amartya Sen is upset that disruption of Parliament has held up passage of important legislation including the UPA's flagship National Food Security Bill. He feels that if the Bill is not passed - even if without amendments - several hundred children will go hungry...
More »Foodgrains output exceeds target for 2013-Gargi Parsai
-The Hindu The Centre on Friday revised its foodgrains production estimate upwards by 5.22 million tonnes for 2012-13 over earlier expectation on account of higher output of Rice, wheat and coarse cereals. The total foodgrains output is now estimated at 255.36 million tonnes with wheat production pegged at 93.62 million tonnes and Rice at 104.22 million tonnes. "We have every reason to be fairly satisfied," Union Agriculture Secretary Ashish Bahuguna told The Hindu...
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