An inconvenient truth? Or yet another case of shoddy data collection by state agencies? The government is scrambling to prove that it is the latter, after data on the UPA's flagship poverty alleviation programme shows that it may not be reaching its intended beneficiaries, those classified in official-speak as below the poverty line (BPL). A recent note circulated to all state departments by the rural development ministry revealed that only...

-The Hindustan Times The union cabinet has cleared the National Food Security Bill that seeks to provide rice at Rs 3, wheat at Rs 2 and coarse grains at Re 1 per kg to over half of India's 1.2 billion population. The bill seeks to cover 75% of the rural population and 50% of urban households and proposes the right of every individual to 7 kg of foodgrain. The cabinet didn't take up...

-CNN-IBN   The Union Cabinet on Sunday cleared Food Security Bill. The bill will now be tabled in Parliament. Earlier, around 30 activists staged a protest outside Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's residence in New Delhi on Sunday evening demanding immediate passage of Right to Food Bill. A senior police official said the activists were detained and taken to police station. The meeting was originally scheduled for Monday but advanced to Sunday evening, sources said. The...

The government is going to make a final attempt to push Sonia Gandhi’s pet legislation, the Food Security Bill, at the Cabinet meeting this Sunday. Cabinet approval is vital if the Bill is to be introduced in Parliament within the few remaining days of this session. This could possibly be the last session before Assembly Elections in five states. Food Minister K V Thomas told Business Standard, “We are trying to introduce...

Dalit political parties irked by Centre's unwillingness to allocate the entire 12.5-acre India United Mill plot for the proposed Dr BR Ambedkar memorial stepped up agitations across the city on Thursday. Hundreds of activists of Republican Party of India (Athavale) teamed up with another Dalit outfit, the Republican Sena and staged a blockade on the Eastern Express Highway, throwing traffic out of gear. The protesters burnt effigies of Prime Minister...