-The Economic Times The Food Security Bill cleared by the Cabinet is likely to hurt the poor more than it helps them. India already has 54.7 million tonnes of rice and wheat lying as stocks with the Centre and the states, 29.7 million tonnes of grain in excess of the buffer stocking norm. Offtake of rice in the current fiscal year has been 74% of the allotment, and that of wheat,...
More »SEARCH RESULT
FDI in retail BJP's baby, we are trying to nurse it: Pranab
-The Times of India Taking a swipe at the BJP for not backing FDI in retail, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday said the government was only trying to nurse the main opposition party's "baby" when it took the decision to allow FDI in retail. Replying to a debate in the Rajya Sabha on price rise, Mukherjee read from a 2004 interview of leader of opposition Arun Jaitley in which the senior...
More »New green revolution: Producer companies help farmers reap profits by Nidhi Nath Srinivas
Farmers are joining India Inc in mind, body and spirit. In a quiet revolution underway across the countryside, growers are setting up companies, replete with balance sheets, professional CEOs, board of directors, and income tax returns. By pooling together the land and produce of their shareholders, these companies are signing lucrative deals with large retail chains, food companies and exporters keen to establish reliable supply chains. As many as 200 companies...
More »Getting the FDI in Retail Debate Back on Track by Mohan Guruswamy
The FDI in retail debate has apparently fully traversed the realm of reason and for it seems to have degenerated into name-calling. I had intimation of this when a diplomat who meets me from time to time asked me if I was being put up, for a price, by Indian corporate interests to stymie the entry of the big western firms like Wal-Mart and Carrefour? I can well imagine the...
More »India needs 30% of grains output for new food bill
-Reuters India is assuming grain purchases at around 30 percent of output in plans to expand its welfare programme, the food minister said, relying on increased yields and lower wastage to cover extra requirements and keeping exports on the agenda. "We have made the calculation (for the Food Security Bill) on the basis of the grains we can produce and procure. We will procure only 30 percent of our production, 70 percent...
More »