-Outlook       After Odisha and Tripura, West Bengal has opposed the Centre's direct cash transfer to bank accounts of beneficiaries claiming it would lead to breakdown of the existing public distribution system and closure of the Food Corporation of India. "The basic objective of the public distribution system to arrest hunger among the poor will be defeated if the beneficiaries are provided cash instead of cheap food leading to closure of the...

-Tehelka The cash transfer debate has turned political with BJP complaining to the Election Commission about the timing of the announcement. It claims the scheme was declared with Gujarat polls in mind. However the Congress-led Central government rubbished the allegation and said the announcement happened in March. Even the political slugfest continues, the debate among experts and activists hasn’t died down. Akshai Jain spoke to a few experts about the various...

-The Financial Express Differences have cropped up between the Planning Commission and food ministry on the issue of creation of two million tonne capacity silos through the public- private partnership (PPP) mode. Sources say while Food Corporation of India (FCI), the nodal agency to implement the project, has been insisting on making 'railway siding' mandatory for silos, the Planning Commission believes that the construction of railways siding would increase the cost of...

-The Economic Times The government's ambitious plan for direct cash transfer of subsidies is facing implementation hurdles even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday set a January 1 deadline to roll out the scheme in 51 districts. While the PM's announcement was a formality, the petroleum ministry has pointed out that once the Cabinet approves the new mechanism on oil and LPG subsidies, it will take 11 months for a rollout. This...

-PTI The government has surplus stocks in view of record production last year Food Corporation of India today said it will sell immediately 3 million tonnes of wheat to bulk consumers in open market in an effort to bring down prices. Last week, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had approved sale of 6.5 million tonnes of wheat under open market sale scheme (OMSS) through the tender process. "Out of 6.5 million tonnes...