-Livemint.com Bringing the bulk of the population under a common system of entitlements is the way to reduce leakages The reliability of the public distribution system (PDS) has improved greatly in a number of states that have a reputation for endemic corruption. In states such as Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, where leakages were as high as 50-90% in 2004-05, they are now of the order of 10-25%. This pattern, based on National...
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That ’70s show: ‘Levy rice’ to end in October -Sandip Das
-The Financial Express The government has decided to dispense with "levy rice", a mandatory system under which rice millers also undertake rice procurement for the public distribution system by buying paddy directly from the farmers, effective the next marketing season starting October. The system, introduced way back in 1978, is set to be withdrawn as the government felt that a lack of effective supervision often allowed the millers to avoid paying minimum...
More »Jowar not to be available under PDS: Minister -Firoz Rozindar
-The Hindu Vijayapura (Karnataka): The desire of the people of North Karnataka to have Jowar under Public Distribution System (PDS) is not going to be met this year too owing to acute shortage of Jowar in the market. "In all likelihood, the people of NK will not get their staple diet in their monthly ration because of the unavailability of adequate quantity of Jowar for procurement", said Dinesh Gundurao, the Minister for...
More »States object to cash transfer of food subsidy -Sayantan Bera
-Livemint.com Odisha, MP among those saying the move may compromise food security in some of the nation's poorest parts New Delhi: Plans by the centre to initiate cash transfers to poor households under the public distribution system (PDS) may run into trouble, with some states-notably Odisha and Madhya Pradesh-raising objections on the grounds that such a move may compromise food security in some of the poorest parts of the country. The states'...
More »Food insecurity and statistical fog -Jean Drèze
-The Hindu The implementation of the National Food Security Act is mired in apathy and confusion. A grave injustice is being done to millions of people who live on the margin of subsistence. It is not too late to remove the roadblocks, but this requires a sense of urgency An odd silence has surrounded the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in the last few months - as if food insecurity were a...
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