The bill will become law if approved by the upper house of the Indian national assembly, the Rajya Sabha. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/27/india-food-bill-grain-poor
Food Bill is Biggest Mistake India Might Have Made Til Date
“The basic point is that food security will turn out to be a fairly expensive proposition for India.” http://www.firstpost.com/economy/food-bill-is-the-biggest-mistake-india-might-have-made-till-date-1062841.html
Food Security Bill Can Feed Its People, Says Sonia Gandhi
In response to skepticism about sufficient resources, Sonia Gandhi responds that feeding India’s people is not a question of how, it is a must. http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/food-security-bill-india-can-feed-its-people-says-sonia-gandhi_871758.html
Lok Sabha Passes Food Bill
The lower house of the Indian national assembly approved the ambitious and controversial National Food Security Bill on Monday, August 26th, 2013, after nine hours of debate. If made law, the legislation will legally entitle 67% of the population to receive subsidized grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/lok-sabha-passes-food-security-bill/article5062126.ece
The Food Security Bill Takes Us Back to the 1970s as Lessons of History Are Ignored
“The passage of the Food Security Bill in the Lok Sabha is reminiscent of the early 1970s, when the simultaneous left-right lurch ended with the economy contracting by the end of the decade and subsequent help from the IMF.” http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-28/edit-page/41499945_1_food-security-bill-finance-minister-open-defecation
Food Security a ‘Historic Opportunity’ or Mere ‘Vote Security’?
“Opposition party, BJP, labeled the bill more as “Vote security” than food security, but stopped short of opposing it.” http://www.business-standard.com/article/politics/food-security-a-historic-opportunity-or-mere-vote-security-113082600926_1.html
India Prepares to Guarantee Right to Food for 800 Million People
The National Food Security Act is heavily criticized by policymakers and academics who disagree with the decision to expand a grain program already riddled with fraud and waste. In India, it is widely known that about 40% of grain in the supply chain doesn’t reach its intended end, instead rotting in storage, eaten by rodents, […]
India School Tragedy Raises Questions for Gandhi’s Food Plan
At least 23 children died in India after eating contaminated food served under the free school lunch program. The tragedy raises concern over whether quality and safety standards can be sufficiently monitored and maintained when the new Food Security Ordinance rolls out, which more than doubles the reach of government food subsidies. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/18/us-india-food-idUSBRE96H0HL20130718
Maize Dependency and Agricultural Subsidies in Zambia
Current maize production is more than sufficient to meet domestic needs in Zambia, and yet there are volatile maize prices, and a majority of Zambians still living in rural poverty. Experts identify poor crop marketing as one of two major causes for the lack of food security, with inadequate government storage leading to estimated postharvest […]
Thailand Has 17M Tons of Rice in Stockpile
In a testimony to the Senate committee investigating the massive losses recently discovered in the Thailand rice scheme, a finance official admitted to corruption in every step of the rice pledging process. http://www.malaya.com.ph/index.php/business/market/35269-thailand-has-17m-tons-of-rice-in-stockpile