Nilekani proposes centralised PDS network, model PDS software for transparency.
To tighten the noose around unscrupulous transporters indulging in diverting public distribution system (PDS) food to the open market, the Delhi government has decided to install global positioning system (GPS) in vehicles ferrying ration items such as wheat and rice.
About 110 tonnes had been loaded additionally in the 55 goods wagons.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday urged the states to strengthen PDS to enable the government insulate the poor from the adverse impact of inflation.
'The government does not want to be transparent or accountable. Therefore, they do not want to appoint information commissioners.'
Trade union leaders in the pre-Budget consultation with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday demanded reigning in prices of essential items and increasing exemption limit on income tax to Rs 2 lakh (Rs 200,000).
The agitation against ration dealers broke out in Bankura district on September 16 and spread to Birbhum, Burdwan and Mushidabad districts claiming five lives, including two in police firing. The FCI CMD said the offtake (lifting the foodgrain) of the state was lower against the Central allocation during August and September. He said the attack on ration dealers may be because of some other reasons.
Six Communist Party of India leaders, including a legislator, were beaten up, five ration shops were ransacked and two houses set ablaze as the violence against corruption in the public distribution system went on unabated in Bardhaman, Birbhum and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal.
To check price rise, the government is importing some of the commodities to bridge the supply-demand gap and strengthening mechanism for providing subsidised items to poor, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Wednesday.
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Concerned over rising food prices, planning commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Monday pitched for increasing supplies through imports and better use of the public distribution system.
With inflation emerging as a major concern of public policy, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday asked states to check against hoarding of essential items and streamline Public Distribution System to help the poor.
The state of Bihar will now monitor the public distribution system (PDS) through laptops to check corruption and to provide help to those living below poverty line (BPL), to get their monthly quota of essential commodities including food grain and kerosene oil, officials said.
'He didn't implement good policies for good politics.' 'He never worked on comprehensive policy-making.' 'In Kejriwal's own constituency youths are jobless.'
It will also end the below and above poverty line (BPL and APL) demarcation, prevailing in the current public distribution system.
Eleven people, including three senior officials of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, were arrested in two separate cases this year for allegedly harassing and threatening those who sought details under the Right to Information Act.
The government on Tuesday approved the revised Food Security Bill to provide for uniform 5 kg of foodgrains per month per person at a highly subsidised price of Rs 1 to 3 per kg to two-thirds of the country's population.
Officials said the Centre would have to bear an additional subsidy burden of Rs 4,161 crore this financial year, if this proposal was implemented.
On the complaint of shortage of foodgrain, the minister said lifting of foodgrain by states/Union Territories under TPDS and other welfare schemes has been less than the allocation made to them.
The fiscal deficit, estimated at 4.6 per cent of the gross domestic product, is expected to be around 5.6 per cent, mainly on account of factors like subdued revenue collection, poor disinvestment receipts, high global commodity prices and increasing subsidy bill.
This Budget, the finance ministry may consider a proposal for a seed fund that would provide financial support to states willing to sell items other than foodgrain, sugar and kerosene through the public distribution system (PDS). The move, experts believe, will help reigning in food inflation that remains in double digits, despite moderation.
The petroleum minister's three-pronged approach does little to address the real issues of fuel diversion and adulteration, say experts.
The ministry has asked the oil marketing companies to further step up their efforts to curb adulteration of petroleum products.
It can possibly happen only in Bihar. The names of rich including chartered accountant, government employees, shopkeeper of Public Distribution System and even dead have been allotted job cards and they have drawn money as wages under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in the state.
Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said the government would follow an inclusive policy wherein both APL and below poverty line families will get foodgrains at cheaper rates. He added that the annual subsidy burden on the government would come around to Rs 50,000 crore.
Replying to a debate on inflation in the Rajya Sabha, Pranab Mukherjee said he is not passing the buck to the states for controlling surging prices, but most areas like PDS and enforcing the Essential Commodities Act lay with them.
With the first phase of Unique Identification Authority of India aiming to enrol 600 million residents of the country into its database in next four years and its possible use in improving the Public Distribution System, UIDAI chairman Nandan Nilekani on Friday said the journey will be 'long' and 'tough'.
The National Advisory Council, chaired by Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, met for the second time on Thursday after its recent revival and unanimously endorsed the idea of universal access to the public distribution system (PDS) in rural areas.
The National Advisory Council, chaired by Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, met for the second time on Thursday after its recent revival and unanimously endorsed the idea of universal access to the public distribution system in rural areas. It was agreed that a universalised PDS should be implemented initially in 150 districts, a member said.
Whether you're a young professional, a seasoned entrepreneur, or someone simply looking to take control of your financial future, adopting these principles can be life-changing, says Ramalingam Kalirajan
An Empowered Group of Ministers, headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, is likely to meet on May 21 to decide on freeing petrol and diesel prices from government control.
Siphoning off food and fuel meant for the poor has made India's public distribution system ineffective.
Delhi may become the first state to move to direct cash pay-outs of subsidies on kerosene sold through the public distribution system (PDS). The petroleum ministry said it has "welcomed" a proposal to this effect from the Planning Commission, which acted on a plan suggested by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
The new economic dawn that is being sought to be initiated in the state may have received a severe jolt from two ongoing developments
"We have suggested a fund for drought or flood, and when our production is hit. The fund will be with the states which the Centre will provide. The implementing agency will be the respective state governments," said K V Thomas, minister of state for agriculture and food.
Former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister and a veteran Congress leader Gegong Apang was grated bail on Friday by the Gauhati high court in connection with the Rs 1,000 crore public distribution system scam.
The ban on onion export is temporary and will be reviewed every two weeks until its prices decline below Rs 15 per kg.
