-Press Information Bureau   In order to make the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) more focused and targeted at the poorest of the poor, Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) was launched in December, 2000 in all States/UTs for one crore families to be identified from the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. Coverage under this scheme has been expanded thrice since then i.e. during 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 covering additional 50 lakh households each...

-Live Mint Move could assume significance given the pressure facing a government battling a series of corruption allegations New Delhi: A parliamentary committee on Monday sought to make a case for controlling the media-both print and electronic-through a statutory regulator, a suggestion that could assume significance given the pressure facing a government battling a series of corruption allegations. The standing committee on information technology called for such a regulator on grounds that the...

-Tehelka The new biotechnology Bill will allow biotech firms to tamper with our food In March, US President Barack Obama signed the HR 933 continuing resolution - popularly known as the Monsanto Protection Act - that effectively divests the federal courts of their constitutional power to stop the planting or sale of genetically modified (GM) seeds and crops regardless of the health and environmental consequences. In other words, whether you like...

-The Hindu     Hamadoun Toure seeks support for International Telecommunication Regulations ITU Secretary General Dr. Hamadoun Touré, who was at the centre of the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs) controversy which erupted at Dubai's treaty meet - World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT-12) in December 2012 - is visiting India this week. Experts in the know of the treaty negotiations believe Dr. Touré will lobby the government and the private sector to persuade India to...

-The Hindu   "I think it is a great effort, we are learning a lot from India" Even as India's Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) is yet to be fully implemented under its second phase, the government's flagship programme on distribution of entitlements to the poor came in for praise by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). At a media conference on Saturday on the sidelines of the ADB's ongoing annual meeting at Greater Noida near...