-Live Mint Food minister K.V. Thomas is holding day-long discussions with state food ministers and officials in the national Capital in a bid to overcome their objections and push forward the government’s ambitious food security legislation.   The government will present the revised food security Bill in the Budget session of Parliament beginning 21 February, he said in his opening remarks. “We intend to present the revised Bill in Parliament in the forthcoming Budget...

-The Hindu Miscreants opposing panchayat polls torch houses, schools; ethnic clashes trigger exodus Guwahati: At least 12 persons including three women were killed — 10 persons in police firing and two in ethnic clashes between Rabha and non-Rabha groups in Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) areas in southern Assam’s Goalpara district on Tuesday. The clashes have triggered huge exodus of people from the affected and nearby villages. Fleeing villagers have taken shelter in...

-The Business Standard CM has withdran 5% VAT relief on subsidized, non-subsidized cooking gas After the centre’s decision to hike fuel prices through decontrol mechanism, it is virtually double jeopardy for the people in Uttarakhand with the state government withdrawing Value Added Tax (VAT) relief on the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders. In the latest decision, chief minister Vijay Bahuguna, who is heading Congress-led coalition government in the hill state, withdrew 5% VAT...

-The Times of India National Advisory Council chairperson Sonia Gandhi has agreed to discuss the cash transfer scheme at a meeting of the UPA's think tank after some members raised concerns about its efficacy and consequences for other social security schemes run by the government, especially the National Food Security Bill. The scheme is likely to be deliberated upon at the next meeting of the council on February 26. It will also...

-The Economic Times The Centre may find it difficult to build political consensus on the National Food Security Bill as several non-Congress-ruled states have expressed their opposition to the scheme. Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have already expressed their dissent while Chhattisgarh has rolled out its own food security scheme. With more than 40% of the country's population residing in these five states, the Bill may not have the desired...