Rising living expenses, fear of contract hiring cast shadow on real gains.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said he foresaw the next decade would be one in which India's food security would be under stress. "Global trends in food production and prices and our own demand patterns of consumption are going to put increasing pressure on both the availability and prices of basic food items," he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday proposed a G20 initiative aimed at enhancing clean energy transitions by boosting recycling, easing supply chain pressures and advancing joint research on critical minerals, and suggested forging a partnership to make satellite data more accessible and interoperable.
The November 26 meeting, the first of its kind, will also take up trade facilitation agreement.
India and the US have reported positive progress in recent trade talks in Washington, agreeing to maintain engagement to finalise a bilateral trade agreement, which now requires recalibration following new US tariffs.
The Indian rupee gained 2 paise to settle at 93.33 against the US dollar, driven by positive sentiment in domestic equity markets and renewed hopes for US-Iran talks, despite rising WPI and CPI inflation.
All those who have been dismayed by the food security ordinance should thank Manmohan Singh and his colleagues for a neat optical trick, says T N Ninan.
The government today decided to promulgate an ordinance to give nation's two-third population the right to 5 kgs of foodgrain every month at highly subsidised rates of Rs 1-3 per kg. The Cabinet, which had in June deferred a decision on the issue, today approved promulgating an ordinance to implement the Food Security Bill, sources said.
"I am very impressed with India's ability to stand up and defy the international regime which has no regard for the food security of 600 million farmers and 800 million hungry people," says Devinder Sharma.
10 stocks from the Nifty 200 index that offer good growth potential and scope to deliver decent returns from current levels, based on brokerage estimates.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that the TMC's rule in West Bengal is nearing its end, citing corruption and unfulfilled promises. He also pledged support for the fisherfolk and a zero-tolerance policy for infiltrators.
The decision preceded long hours of tense negotiations and last minute hiccups from Argentina and Pakistan
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in Pune district, Maharashtra. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has assured a fast-tracked trial and pushed for the death penalty for the accused, amid public outrage and protests.
Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiatives for women's empowerment, citing the Swachh Bharat Mission and PM Awas Yojana. He also criticised the Trinamool Congress government's handling of food distribution and women's security in the state.
The Food and Security Bill will be implemented after few months.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has convened a meeting of senior ministers on Tuesday to discuss the recommendations of the National Advisory Council on the Food Security Bill.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's purchase of 'jhalmuri' during a campaign stop, alleging it was a staged event for cameras. She also accused the BJP of aiding Independents from the minority community and criticised the Election Commission over voter roll revisions.
Markets will look for clear guidance on how the MPC interprets the uncertainty and what it implies for the future course of monetary policy, points out Rajeswari Sengupta.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened the Cabinet Committee on Security to address the impact of the West Asia conflict on Indian citizens, focusing on safeguarding them from the conflict's effects and ensuring the smooth flow of essential supplies.
Nowhere on the planet, nowhere in mankind's history has such an idea taken the concrete shape in form of a law. The National Food Security Bill, which will come via ordinance and not after the debate in Parliament, is an incredible economic tool to tackle the hunger of poor Indians. Also, it has already been condemned widely as a political gimmick.
Mamata Banerjee accuses the BJP of importing voters for the Assam elections and plotting similar interference in West Bengal, raising concerns about electoral integrity and potential cultural restrictions.
Top UN officials on Friday praised the recent $20 billion pledge made by G8 countries to boost food security in developing and poor countries.
The US blockade on Iranian ports is aimed to curb Iranian energy exports, thereby crippling its economy to force Iran back to the negotiating table, points out Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
BJP MP Anurag Thakur believes PM Modi's purchase of 'jhalmuri' in Jhargram will influence the West Bengal Assembly polls, contrasting it with CM Mamata Banerjee's actions. He also criticised the TMC government for blocking central schemes and failing to ensure women's safety.
The big budget and big boom National Food Security Bill, which will be to UPA II what the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and the Right To Information Act were to UPA I, could not be cleared by the Union Cabinet on Tuesday and has been deferred to be taken up in its next meeting.
Critics have even suggested that India is doing this because it is not prepared to take on the requirements of TFA, with a relatively weak trade infrastructure.
The campaign for the current election cycle ended on Monday as canvassing for the final phase in West Bengal concluded with a bitter war of words between rival parties over cross-border infiltration, corruption, unemployment and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
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Sakshi Balani presents an FAQ on the Food Security Bill that was passed by Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
India is already a heavyweight in global farm trade in pockets such as rice exports, but experts are urging a pivot from a subsidy- and procurement-driven mindset to a productivity and nutrition strategy that still shields farmers from volatility.
A BJP government in Bengal inherits more problems than it might care to admit at its moment of triumph, points out Ramesh Menon
The Samajwadi Party on Monday said it will support the Food Security Bill in Parliament if the amendments, including giving due price to farmers and changing the definition of those below the poverty line, suggested by it, are accepted.
In the last six years, the Centre has endevoured to give the highest priority to agriculture.
If Minister of State for Food K V Thomas has his say in the proposed Food Security Bill, the eldest woman in the family -- and not the patriarch -- will be designated the head of family in the ration card.
Jammu and Kashmir police have dismantled an interstate Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror module, arresting five individuals, including a fugitive who had been on the run for 16 years. The operation involved multiple agencies and uncovered a network providing logistical and financial support to terrorists.
'Why are the political leaders saying everything is normal?'
A 25-year-old man in Uttar Pradesh, India, completed a 9km 'dandvat yatra' (prostration pilgrimage) to a local temple after his request for a divorce was granted, fulfilling a vow he made during marital difficulties.
A new study by IIT-Kharagpur warns that ozone pollution could significantly reduce agricultural yields in India, particularly impacting wheat, rice, and maize production. The study, published in the journal 'Environmental Research', highlights the vulnerability of major food crops to rising surface ozone levels, especially in the Indo-Gangetic Plain and Central India. The researchers call for effective emission reduction strategies to mitigate these risks and ensure global food security.
After much delay and uncertainty, the landmark Food Security Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday which seeks to provide cheap foodgrains to 82 crore people in the country, ushering in the biggest programme in the world to fight hunger.
Families of victims of the Pahalgam terror attack mark the first anniversary, recounting the horror and seeking justice and support for those affected.
India has strongly condemned Pakistan's airstrikes on Afghanistan, calling them a flagrant violation of international law and hypocritical given the civilian casualties during Ramzan.
