Protecting the rights of land users from speculation, stepped up production of agrofuels and population growth is vital to combat global hunger and malnutrition, an independent United Nations expert said today. “Pressures on land are increasing as a result of speculation on farmland, the expansion of agrofuels production, and demographic growth in rural areas,” Special Rapporteur on the right to food Olivier De Schutter noted. “In this context, moving swiftly towards protecting...

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 Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) today demanded a CBI inquiry into the alleged Rs 10,000-crore financial scam in the field of Public Distribution System (PDS) in Assam during the tenure of Congress-led State Government. Criticizing the State Government for its failure to strengthen the PDS system in the State, the party said that the Essential Commodities meant for the BPL and APL families of the State are being sold in the...

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...

Want to invest in West Bengal? Try agriculture—that was the message from chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to captains of industry at a CII National Council meeting here on Wednesday. At a roundtable with industry heads, including ITC chairman YC Deveshwar, Godrej Group chairman Adi Godrej and Pepsico India chairman Sanjeev Chadha, the Bengal chief minister shed his aggressive stance on industry, visible in the run-up to Singur, and said corporates...