Although finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had promised food security and inclusive growth in his budget speech last year, hunger continues to stalk over 300 million citizens of the country. India slipped to 67th place in the Global Hunger Index 2010 rankings of 122 countries prepared by International Food Policy Research Institute. An Oxford University report said that 410 million Indians live in poverty. While there may be nit-picking over the...
More »SEARCH RESULT
NAC undermined by Praful Bidwai
By stubbornly overruling the National Advisory Council, the government risks defeating its purpose as a body that speaks for the poor and the disadvantaged. HAS the Manmohan Singh government begun to regard the National Advisory Council (NAC) as an adversary who should be undermined? Going by their exchanges on key issues such as food security, wages under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), and the implementation of the Scheduled Tribes...
More »Govt hopes to introduce food bill in Budget session: PM
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the government is trying to introduce the proposed National Food Security Bill that seeks to provide a legal guarantee for cheaper foodgrains to the poor, in the Budget session of Parliament. "...we hope to bring to this session of Parliament the National Food Security Bill, which would give the people the right to food as the constitutional right," Singh told Rajya Sabha while replying...
More »Food subsidy bill to rise by 27 p.c. this year
The country’s food subsidy bill is expected to jump by 27 per cent to Rs 74,231 crore in the 2010—11 fiscal, the Lok Sabha was told today. This is due to a rise in support price and higher procurement and distribution of foodgrains via ratio shops. Last year, the government’s food subsidy bill stood at Rs 58,242.45 crore. “The amount allocated for food subsidy during 2010—11 is Rs 59,354.56 crore...Based on the actual...
More »Rs. 2 a kg ration rice for all cardholders
Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan on Wednesday announced that the scheme for supply of ration rice at Rs.2 a kg would be extended to all cardholders, including APL cardholders, subject to certain conditions. People with high incomes and landholdings would not be eligible. Briefing the media on the Cabinet decisions, the Chief Minister said the Cabinet had approved the recommendations of the Ninth Pay Revision Commission with changes proposed by the Cabinet...
More »