Every passing day makes it clear that the proposed food security law may not come by for a while. One report quoting the Planning Commission even suggested that it can be expected only in 2012. This Twelfth Plan (2012-17) launch has support from the concerned dual Ministry of Agriculture as well as Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution. In that eventuality it does mean a surge in food insecurity.A dispassionate...

Last week's column, “The plight of Dalits and the news media” (October 25, 2010), has generated a lively and interesting response from several readers. The column was about the prioritisation of the tasks before the National Commission for the Scheduled Castes (NCSC) by its new Chairman, P.L. Punia (not P.J. Punia as erroneously mentioned in the column.) The concern of most who wrote was over the failure of successive governments...

The Bharatiya Janata Party Nagaland expressed unhappiness over the Pubic Distribution System (PDS) of essential commodities in the state. It stated that the present PDS is in the hand of a few contractors, appointed by the government as state Stockiest and District Nominee, for mobilization/handling and transportation of essential commodities meant for districts on contractual basis by signing of an agreement for one year period. “These temporary deeds are purely for...

The BJP today slammed the UPA government and said inspite of reprimand by Supreme Court the Centre seems little concerned about Rs 58,000 crore worth of food grains rotting in FCI godowns. Around 180 lakh tones food grain is lying in open at various open godowns in Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan and UP belonging to government under Central Pool, BJP National Secretary Kirit Somaiya told reporters here. The Food Corporation...

After taking on Suresh Kalmadi and Co on the Commonwealth Games, Rajya Sabha MP and former panchayati raj minister Mani Shankar Aiyar has now trained his guns on the UPA government and the Planning Commission for bureaucratising all flagship programmes like the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and the National Rural Health Mission. In a free-wheeling interview with ET, Mr Aiyar said instead of relying on panchayati raj institutions for better...