The World Meteorological Organization’s State of the Climate in Asia 2024 report warns that the region is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, driving more extreme weather and posing serious threats to lives, ecosystems, and economies. In 2024, Asia experienced its warmest or second warmest year on …
The Delhi Government is all set to introduce cash subsidy to all BPL and AAY card holder families using kerosene as fuel switchover to LPG. To make Delhi a kerosene free city, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has set up a joint working group to look at modalities …
State food minister Mr Jyotipriyo Mallik today cracked down on Bankura district administration for its indifference to the public distribution system. He caught two ration dealers in two Bankura blocks for flouting norms and asked the district magistrate to ensure cancellation of fake ration cards in the district. The food …
In the season of draft Bills, the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council has come out with its draft of the National Food Security Act, 2011, that gives legal backing to the highly leaky PDS system, thereby excluding innovative options like cash transfers, which may have included variants like food stamps …
This draft national food security bill approved by the National Advisory Council legalises PDS as the approach for implementing the provisions of food security and calls for improved storage and doorstep delivery of grain to the targeted PDS outlets. As agreed by the NAC at its meeting on July 14th, …
As food stocks reach record levels, the food ministry has decided to move grains faster from producing to non-producing states, make additional allocation under various social welfare schemes and create more storage space. Total stocks of grains (wheat and rice) in the central pool as on May 1 was estimated …
To ensure transparency in delivery of commodities to the poor in Rajasthan The Rajasthan Government has decided to conduct the much sought-after social audit for fair price shops functioning under the public distribution system (PDS) to ensure transparency and effectiveness in the delivery of essential commodities to poor people. The …
The Union Cabinet has approved a headcount to assess the number of people below the poverty line (BPL) after a gap of nine years, but it could not end a debate over the methodology of counting the poor and extending social welfare activities like food and health to all. On …
Though India is one of the largest producers of the food in the world, nearly three hundred million people struggle for meeting two square meals a day and 21 percent of the national population are malnourished. This indicates the issues of accessibility to adequate and nutritive food to the poor. …
Collector C.Munianathan chairs coordination committee meeting NAGAPATTINAM: Over 4.24 lakh family card holders would be entitled to the free rice proposed for distribution through the public distribution system, as promised by the Chief Minister in her election manifesto. A coordination meeting in this regard was conducted here under Collector C.Munianathan …
CHENNAI: The scheme of free distribution of 20 kg rice to beneficiaries under the public distribution system (PDS) will come into force on June 1. At present, rice is given at Re. 1 a kg to those who are entitled to receive the commodity. As per the existing norms, rice …
WHEN UNION Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar announced a bumper harvest last month, “the highest since 1947”, commodities markets perked up, sniffing food export opportunities. With a record 236 million tonnes of foodgrain produced in 2010-11, government godowns are bursting at the seams. Mountains of grain lie in the open, as …
Aadhaar has started yielding results. Maheswaram, in Ranga Reddy district, is the first mandal to issue ration through the public distribution system (PDS) based on Aadhaar-type smart cards with biometric authentication. This process saves about 20 per cent of ration. Confirms Mr K.R.B.H.N. Chakravarthi, director, civil supplies department, “We are …
This position paper by the National Rainfed Area Authority attempts to address the challenges of food security through analysis of the present trend of growth in production, procurement and safe storage of different foodgrain crops, their future potential and possible impact on national food security of diversification into non-PDS, fruits, …
This explanatory note by the National Advisory Council (NAC) chaired by Sonia Gandhi highlights the rationale and major considerations that form basis of the NAC proposals on food security. The proposed NFSA aims to ensure public provisioning of food and related measures, to enable assured economic and social access to …
The countrywide share of corporate retail in food distribution tripled in the past four years when retail food prices showed the greatest increase. THE dramatic increase in food inflation over the past two years has been associated with several surprises. One major surprise has been how the top economic policymakers …
India’s Global Hunger Index indicates large-scale poverty and hunger and our failure to meet the challenge despite positive legislative provisions like NREGA and remarkable policy initiatives like ICDS, Mid-day Meal, Public Distribution System and National Social Assistance Programmes. The State Hunger Index reflects an alarming state of hunger in West …
This framework note on the draft food security bill released by Sonia Gandhi headed National Advisory Council attempts to build a strong system of grievance redressal for all food-related schemes, to ensure that food entitlements are realised. The National Food Security Act is envisaged as a path-breaking legislation, aimed at …
In this comprehensive review of India's social welfare & anti-poverty initiatives, the World Bank says that the spending to eradicate poverty had not reached their full potential & recommends replacing PDS with a system of direct cash transfer. See Also Report: NREGA - opportunities and challenges. Feature: Poverty begets poverty. …
The report on performance audit of ten food security and poverty alleviation schemes in Orissa and Uttar Pradesh (UP) conducted by Centre for Environment and Food Security (CEFS). This audit was conducted during July- October 2010 in 130 villages spread over 12 districts of Orissa and UP (Bundelkhand). The Centre …
This is a report of the expert committee on national food security bill chaired by Dr C Rangarajan. It has recommended sharply diluted implementation of the food security bill proposed by the National Advisory Council (NAC), headed by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. An expert committee constituted by the government has …
