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.

Pulled up by the Supreme Court, the ministry of chemicals and fertilisers has set a deadline of three weeks for a final version of its draft pharma policy before the group of ministers (GoM) constituted for the purpose two years earlier. The ministry on Thursday assured the Supreme Court of this in a hearing on a suit filed by civil society group, All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN).

The 12th EU (European Union)-India Summit, to be held on February 10, would take stock of the progress so far in negotiations between both the sides on the ambitious free trade agreement (FTA). It would also discuss other bilateral issues concerning economic cooperation between India and the EU, climate change, energy and science and technology. The 27-nation bloc EU would be represented by Herman Van Rompuy, president of the European Council, and José Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission. The two would hold high-level talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Distribution licensees will now have to procure short-term power (less than or equal to one year) through competitive bidding say the draft guidelines of the Power Finance Corporation (PFC). This is expected to reduce the overall cost of procurement of power. The short-term power market presently comprises 10 per cent of the total electricity procured in India. PFC has convened a meeting with the representatives of distribution licensees on February 10 to discuss the modalities. Currently, the per unit rate of short-term power procurement stands at Rs 3.80 to Rs 4.

With European Union facing global flak over imposition of a green tax on all aircraft flying in its skies, world airlines' body IATA has warned European airlines of "retaliatory action" by non-EU nations if a global solution was not arrived at soon.

"Time is not on our side. Airlines from Europe may face some retaliatory action.

Doing so has major implications for public health but moving to a market-linked fuel pricing policy makes more sense.

Anumita Roychowdhuryanumita Roychowdhury
Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment*
“The additional taxes on diesel cars can generate resources to produce clean diesel for all segments to meet public health objectives”

Hit by a dip in production of coal from Coal India Ltd (CIL) and gas from private sector major Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), the mining sector is set to contract by 2.2 per cent this year. The sector grew five per cent in 2010-11. While the mining sector accounts for around three per cent of India’s gross domestic product (GDP) on a standalone basis, a dip in mineral output creates a ripple effect on major end-use industries in the key infrastructure sectors of power, steel, cement, fertiliser and oil and gas.

It is another Greater Noida project gone wrong, as the Uttar Pradesh government is in the middle of a new land deal controversy, and coming just ahead of the assembly polls in the state.

The latest controversy is about the Union environment ministry asking the state government and private builder Ansal API to stop work at the 2,400-acre ‘wetland’ area at Dadri in Greater Noida. This land was sold by the UP government to Ansals for a housing project. The ministry had earlier slammed the UP government for polluting the Ami river.

The next salvo from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) may come in the form of year-wise figures of the loss to the exchequer because of falling gas production from Reliance Industries Ltd’s KG-D6 field. How the CAG’s Rs 1.76-lakh-crore loss figure it came out for 2G telecom spectrum allocation haunted the government is well documented already.

Wants cancellation of 49 iron ore leases, penalties on others

The panel appointed a year earlier by the Supreme Court to probe illegal mining in Karnataka has made several recommendations in its final report, with far-reaching implications. The final report was given to the SC on Friday.