-PTI New Delhi: Centre has asked states to set up vigilance committees to ensure transparency in supply of food grains through ration shops under the Public Distribution System (PDS). "States have been requested to set up vigilance committees at district, block and FPS level with due representation of SCs/STs, women and local bodies to ensure transparency and proper functioning of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS)," Paswan said in a Food Ministry statement. Chairing...

-The Economic Times NEW DELHI: In a major boost to reforms in food procurement and distribution, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has assured the government it will be able to implement major recommendations of the high-level panel that has recommended a complete revamp of the body that plays a key role in the country's food security. The panel has made path-breaking recommendations such as direct cash transfer for fertilizers and grains...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: Sections of wildlife biologists have questioned the methodology India has adopted for its tiger census, saying it does not yield results to accurately measure changes in numbers either within a particular region or across the country. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), a non-government partner that was involved in the tiger estimation exercise, said the "double-sampling" approach the Union environment and forests ministry adopted was "not the best currently...

-The Hindustan Times The Centre may act against some of the 188 NGOs red-flagged by the Intelligence Bureau for alleged misuse of foreign funds, suspected extremist links and proselytization. These non-government organisations were reported by the internal spy agency and a list sent to the home ministry, documents accessed by HT have revealed. The country's top tax body the central board of direct taxes (CBDT) and enforcement directorate (ED), which tracks foreign funds...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: The Centre today said it was "considering" two new penal code provisions to punish racial discrimination and racial insults, recommended by a panel as a safeguard for people from the Northeast living elsewhere in the country. Home minister Rajnath Singh announced a slew of other measures too for migrants from the region while signalling acceptance of the M.P. Bezbaruah committee's recommendations. Officials clarified that the proposed Sections 153C...