Even as the Centre prepares to implement its proposed national Food Security Act, States have expressed their unhappiness about the contours of the Bill, particularly the cap on the number of beneficiaries which will automatically reduce their allocation of subsidised foodgrains.

Indian activists applaud Australian Government for timely action. Anti-tobacco activists in India have welcomed the move by an anti-tobacco lobby, Action on Smoking and Health, in Australia which alerted and pressurised Cricket Australia to immediately remove a surrogate advertisement by an Indian company promoting gutka in Australia. “The advertisement of an Indian gutka company was seen displayed on the boundary rope during the Australia-India Test series in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Adelaide.

As states, irrespective of their political affiliations, raise objections to the proposed Food Security Act, the food ministry on Thursday said it would analyse all suggestions and refer these to a standing committee. It has also decided to hold separate discussions with all states to find a workable solution for proper implementation of the programme. The Food Security Bill, which proposes to provide cheap grains to 63 per cent of the population, is being discussed by a parliamentary standing committee.

BHUBANESWAR: The two-day seminar on “Emerging trends in food production and safety” that concluded here on Sunday strongly urged the State Government to implement the Food Safety Act and post a senior officer as Food Safety Commissioner. An officer, not less than the rank of Secretary, should be posted as the Food Safety Commissioner, the experts unanimously agreed at the end of the seminar which was addressed by Health Secretary Anu Garg.

The landmark 2G judgement of the Supreme Court criticising the first-come-first-served model of selling natural resources has cast a shadow on a legislation that seeks to boost mining activity in the country. The apex court, which raised questions about the transparency of this model, asked the government to consider alternative options, especially auctions.

NewDelhi:The country will enjoy another bumper harvest in 2011-12, with an estimated 102 million tonnes of rice and 88 million tonnes of wheat projected as per the revised estimates of the Union government. But this could also create a problem of plenty for the government with the National Food Security Bill pending in Parliament, and the government unable to offload existing stocks to the states.

The Congress will formally express its opposition to a European law aimed at reducing pollution from jetliners, a thorny diplomatic issue that has threatened to escalate transatlantic trade tensions.

House and Senate negotiators have agreed to a provision in sweeping aviation legislation that would put Europe on notice over its mandate for airlines worldwide to pay for carbon emissions from their planes while flying in Europe.

The bill is expected to be passed by Congress in the coming weeks.