India-born biologist Kamal Bawa
Posted by sk Gaur on 11:27 AM · Leave a comment
India-born biologist Kamal Bawa has bagged the world’s first international award for outstanding scientific work that promotes sustainable development globally..
Dr. Bawa, distinguished Professor of Biology at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, will receive the Gunnerus Sustainability Award from the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters (DKNVS) at a function in Trondheim, Norway on April 17, an official announcement said..
“We are very pleased to have selected such a worthy winner of the first Gunnerus award,” said Professor Kristian Fossheim, president of DKNVS..
The Gunnerus award is the first major international prize for outstanding scientific work that promotes sustainable development globally, and will be awarded every two years starting in 2012..
Dr Bawa is most noted for his pioneering work on population biology in rainforest areas. His wide span of research includes groundbreaking biological discoveries made in Central America, Western Ghats in India and the Himalayas..
He is specially noted for the establishment, and as President, of Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) in Bangalore..
Until recently, he also held Ruffolo Giorgio Fellowship in Sustainability Science and Bullard Fellowship at Harvard University..
“I am very pleased over the recognition that our work has received,” Dr Bawa said.
The award is named after DKNVS’ founder Bishop Johan Ernst Gunnerus (1718—1773) and is the result of collaboration between DKNVS, Sparebank1 SMN and the society Technoport..
diamond was found
Posted by sk Gaur on 11:22 AM · Leave a comment
* Huge Pink diamond was found by Rio Tinto group based at Western Austaralia..
* World’s largest pink diamond weighs about 12.76 carats..
* Mr.Richard How Kim Kam has taken the responsibility of cutting the world’s largest pink diamond.Mr.Richard is working with Argyle for over 25 years..
* The pink diamond found at Australia in February 2012 will be known as Argyle Pink Jubilee..
* Argyle took around 26 years to unearth this precious diamond..
* Argyle Pink diamond is expected to be sold for over $10 million..
Stephen Hawking on "Time Travel to the Future"
Posted by sk Gaur on 11:18 AM · Leave a comment
"A supermassive black hole is a time machine. But of course, it's not exactly practical. It has advantages over wormholes in that it doesn't provoke paradoxes. Plus it won't destroy itself in a flash of feedback. But it's pretty dangerous. It's a long way away and it doesn't even take us very far into the future. Fortunately there is another way to travel in time. And this represents our last and best hope of building a real time machine.."
Stephen Hawking believes in time travel. But, time travel to the future. To Hawking, time flows like a river and it seems as if each of us is carried relentlessly along by time's current. But time, says Hawking, is like a river in another way: "It flows at different speeds in different places and that is the key to travelling into the future." This is an idea first suggested by Albert Einstein over 100 years ago..
"So a supermassive black hole is a time machine. But of course, it's not exactly practical. It has advantages over wormholes in that it doesn't provoke paradoxes. Plus it won't destroy itself in a flash of feedback. But it's pretty dangerous. It's a long way away and it doesn't even take us very far into the future. Fortunately there is another way to travel in time. And this represents our last and best hope of building a real time machine..
Stephen Hawking thinks four of the world's physicists are wrong believing that time travel is impossible: Hawking sides with Sir Arthur Clarke, author of Space Odyssey 2001 who famously stated that "when a distinguished scientist states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong". And a lot of distinguished scientists believe that just "Time travel is absolutely impossible.."
http://www.dailygalaxy.com/
discovered a new species of sea snake in the Gulf of Carpenteria,
Posted by sk Gaur on 9:20 PM · Leave a comment
Associate Professor Fry said that Hydrophis donaldii had evaded earlier discovery as it prefers estuarine habitats that are poorly surveyed and not targeted by commercial fisheries. “Weipa really is one of the last sea snake ‘Serengetis'. We can see over 200 sea snakes in a single night's hunting, whereas sea snake populations have really crashed elsewhere through over-fishing removing their prey and also the snakes drowning in trawling nets,” Associate Professor Fry said.
Associate Professor Fry said the findings extend beyond simply discovering a rare animal. “All venomous animals are bio-resources and have provided sources of many life-saving medications, such as treatments for high-blood pressure and diabetes.
“This reinforces why we need to conserve all of nature as the next billion dollar wonder-drug may come from as unlikely a source as sea snake venom.”
The snake has been given the scientific name Hydrophis donaldii to honour Associate Professor Fry's long-time boat captain David Donald.
“Quite simply we would not have found this snake without Dave's unique knowledge of the area. I told him we wanted to survey as many distinct types of habitat as possible and heguided us to the perfect spots,” Associate Professor Fry said.
The snake has been given the common-name ‘rough-scaled sea snake' to reflect the unique scalation.
“We don't know why it has been evolutionarily selected to have such unique scalation, but we will next study its ecology to learn more about it.”
India's Diamond Mining History
Posted by sk Gaur on 8:00 AM · Leave a comment
India's Diamond Mining History
Historians estimate that diamond (vajra, Sanskrit for "adamantine") were discovered in India during the 4th century B.C., and India was one of the first countries to mine the gem. India's diamonds were prized for their size and beauty for hundreds of years, but the term "Indian diamonds" was used generically to describe any stone that was mined in numerous South/Southeast Asian locations that included Borneo (Landak), Golconda, Hindostan, and Raolconda. The majority of Asia's diamond deposits were alluvial as opposed to kimberlite.
India's most prized diamonds were known as the "diamonds of Golconda," and some of the most famous Golconda stones include the Hope Diamond, Koh-i-Noor Diamond, Darya-i-Nur, Orlov Diamond, and Sanc Diamond. The Darya-i-Nur (Sea of Light) was a rare blue-diamond that weighed 186 carats, which was owned by the last Great Mughal Emperor of Persia, Aurangzeb, until it was plundered from his heirs during the 'sack of Delhi' in 1739.
India's Geology
Golconda (aka Golkunda) was a region located between the lower reaches of the Godavari, Wainganga, Wardha and Krishna-Venva rivers, in the present-day states of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, central India (map: above, right). Today, the exact source of the so-called "lost mines of Golconda" are unknown, and India's only remaining diamond source is the Majhgawan pipe (kimberlite pipe) near Panna (see map below, under: "Mining in India Today").
The Golconda diamonds originating on the Indian subcontinent were created from the enormous forces generated by plate tectonics, when the Tethys Oceanic Crust collided with, and was subducted under the Asian Continental plate. Although these massive continental plates collided at the incredibly slow rate of 10 centimetres per year; over 100s of millions of years, this was enough force to create the Himalayan Mountain range, and to cause the necessary volcanic activity to create diamondiferous intrusive, and extrusive igneous rock known as kimberlite.
Millions of years of erosion caused by rainfall and snow-melt unearthed the diamonds from their kimberlite tomb, washing them downstream to their final resting place within the shallow alluvial river gravels of India's Golconda region.
Darya-i-Nur "Sea of Light" (photo: public domain)
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Maharaja Ranjit Singh
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In the ancient treatise on gemology known as Utpalaparimalä, the characteristics of an ideal diamond as described as having purity (without stain), lightness, six-pointedness, and being a well formed octahedron with 8 facets and pronounced sharp edges [8].
According to ancient Indian texts, there were eight principle "find-spots" for diamonds, each being identified with a distinct diamond color [10]. The diamonds found along the banks of theVena (Wainganga) were considered "pure" (colorless), from the Himalayan region (copper-colored); from Kalinga (brilliant gold); from Kosala (tinged with Sirisa-blossom - plantain); fromMatanga (the color of wheat-blossom); from Pundra (grey to dark-blue); from Saurastra (tinged with copper-red); and those found in Supara (sable colored).
Diamonds are inextricably woven into the cultural fabric and mysticism of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Tibetan Lamaism. The 'Dorjes' is an ancient Buddhist talisman shaped like a pyramidal, four-faceted diamond [2]. According to ancient Buddhist legend, the Dorjes represents Mount Meru, a sacred mountain which is situated at the 'center of the universe.'
The 'Valley of Diamonds'
During the 14th through 18th centuries, many young explorers and adventurers were drawn to India and the Far East, by tales of riches beyond one's wildest dreams, and the legend of Sinbad's "Valley of Diamonds." The tales of Sinbad the Sailor and the "Arabian Nights" were derived from an 8th century Persian (Sassanid) book called the Hazar Afsanah, or the "Thousand Myths."
In the "Second Voyage of Sinbad," the sailor from Basrah (Baghdad) was transported by a giant bird (the "roc"), to a land where the floor of the valley was "carpeted with diamonds." In the tale, merchants harvested the diamonds by throwing chunks of meat onto the valley floor where the giant birds would carry them back to their nests, ladened with diamonds. Sinbad strapped one of the pieces of meat to his back, and returned to Baghdad with a fortune in diamonds.
Goa's Diamond Trade Route
During the latter half of the 14th century, most of the diamonds entering Europe originated in India. The Golconda diamond trade route extended from India to Bruges, Paris, and eventually to the diamond Bourses of Antwerp, Belgium. Up until the late 1400s, the only route from India to Europe was over land through Persia, transiting the ancient "Silk Road" caravan routes. This lengthy, and dangerous journey made diamond expeditions a costly affair, and many of the diamonds would fall into Persian hands as a "tariff" for crossing their territory.
Desperate to find an alternative route to India and the Far East; Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias discovered the 'Cape of Good Hope' on Africa's southern most tip in 1488. This led to fellow Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama's discovery of a sea route to India in 1498, by sailing around the Cape. This new, and easier sea-route soon led to European dominance of the Indian diamond trade.
Portuguese Church in Old Goa (Photo: Public Domain)
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Along India's Malabar Coast, the state of "Goa" grew into a Portuguese trading center, and a diamond-trading route was established from Goa to Lisbon, Portugal and on to Antwerp. In 1510, the Portuguese established a permanent settlement in Velha Goa (Old Goa), after Portuguese admiral Afonso de Albuquerque defeated the ruling Bijapur kings. The city of "Vasco," named after Vasco-da-Gama, remains Goa's largest city.
In explorer/court-jeweller Jean Baptiste Tavernier's book Les Six Voyages (The Six Voyages), written in 1679, Tavernier documented his extensive travels throughout India and the Far-East, helping to expand European trade in gems, jewellery, and other valuable commodities. During his travels, Tavernier meticulously illustrated many notable cut diamonds from Indian, such as the "Great Mogul Diamond" (illustration #1: above, right) and the "Great Table Diamond" (illustration #3: above, center)
India and Landak were the only major producers of diamonds until their discovery in Brazil in 1725, and South Africa, in 1866.
Mining in India Today
India is no longer a source for rough diamonds, as most all of India's diamond mines were depleted centuries ago, although there is one active diamond mine at Panna, in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh (below, right). The state-owned Panna mine is run by the National Mineral Development Corporation.
 | 
Khajuraho Temple near Panna (Photo: Public Domain)
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DeBeers India is also currently prospecting in the Madhya Pradesh region, as well as in the sothern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. The DeBeers India mining operation will be a joint venture with Hindustan Diamond, be based in Mumbai.
The Descriptive Term 'Golconda Diamond'
The term "Golconda diamond" is still used (or misused) today as an indicator of very high-quality diamonds. To justify the "Golconda" name, diamonds must have a level of transparency and quality found only in rare, chemically/optically pure type-IIa natural diamonds. The term "Golconda" is also used as a generic term to describe higher quality diamonds with an antique cut.
Source:AllAboutGemstones.com
Salient features of National Food Security Bill, 2011
Posted by sk Gaur on 11:40 PM · Leave a comment
The Food security bill passed by the government will give legal entitlement of cheaper food grains to about 63.5% of Indian population. This ideally should manifest in growth of Indian human capital, productive work force and skilled labor and long term growth of the economy. These people will work more efficiently, spend more and thus will domestically drive the Indian economy. But let me take you back six years. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) was precisely meant to do so. NREGA was introduced with an aim to improve the purchasing power of the rural people, primarily semi or un-skilled workers. But did it do so? It was instead marred by corruption and middlemen taking advantage of office to deny legally entitled minimum wage. A business standard report mentioned the issuance of fake job cards, fake entries and threatening of workers to keep their mouth shut. Without addressing the learning from the mistakes done in the implementation of NREGA, the UPA II government primarily controlled by the congress party has passed the Food security bill. What is the guarantee that the legal entitlement to the poor will be adhered to?
Another serious concern is the huge amounts of money associated with the project. Food minister K V Thomas had said that the total financial liability to implement the law would be Rs 3.5 lakh crore, as funds would be required to raise agriculture production, create storage space and publicity among others. Each stage presents an opportunity for making easy money and there are no checks and provisions to prevent it. As a tax payer I would want my money to be utilized in an efficient manner and not for filling the pockets of babus. Although the need for food security in India is very high, next to health care, the manner in which it has been dealt shows lack of concern and callousness.
*Salient features of National Food Security Bill, 2011*
National Food Security Bill,2011 has been tabled in Parliament by Shri L
K. V. Thomas, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
on 19.12.2011. The mandate of the Bill is to provide for food and
nutritional security in human life cycle approach, by ensuring access to
adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a
life with dignity and for matters connected therewith. The Salient
features of the Bill is as follows.
1. The Bill has 15 chapters with 52 sections.
*2. **Important Definitions *
a. "Destitute Person" means men, women or children who have no
resources, means and support required for food and nutrition enabling their
survival, to the extent that makes them vulnerable to live with or die of
starvation.
b. "Senior Citizen" means a person defined as such under clause (h) of
section 2 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens
Act,2007.
c. "Social Audit" means the process in which people collectively
monitor and evaluate the planning and implementation of a programme or
scheme.
d. "Starvation" means prolonged involuntary deprivation of food that
threatens survival of the person.
*3. **Right to receive foodgrains at subsidized prices by persons
belonging to priority households and general households under TPDS *
Every person belonging to priority households and general households which
will be identified by the Govt. shall be entitled to receive every
month under targeted Public Distribution System , seven kilograms of
foodgrains per person per month for priority households and not less than
three kilograms of foodgrains per person per month for general households
at subisdised prices. The entitlements at subsidised prices shall extend
up to seventy-five percent of the rural population and up to fifty percent
of the urban population. But not less than forty-six percent of the rural
and twenty-eight percent of the urban population shall be designated as
priority households. *( section-3)*
*4. **Nutritional Support to pregnant women and lactating mothers *
Every pregnant woman and lactating mothers shall be entitled to meal,
free of charge, during pregnancy and six months after the child birth ,
through local anganwadi, so as to meet the nutritional standards specified
in Schedule 11. They shall aslo be entitled maternity benefit of rupees
one thousand per month for a period of six months in accordance with a
scheme, including cost sharing, payable in such instalments as may be
prescribed by the Central Government. *( section-4)*
*5. **Nutritional support to Children *
Every child up to the age of fourteen years shall be entitled to get the
following entitlements for his nutritional needs.
a. In case of children in the age group of six months to six years,
age appropriate meal, free of charge , through the local anganwadi so as to
meet the nutritional standards.
b. In the case of children in the age group of six to fourteen years,
one mid-day meal , free of charge , every day except on school holidays in
all schools run by local bodies , Govt and Govt aided schools, up to
class VIII, so as to meet their nutritional standard.
c. Every school and Anganwadi shall have facilities for cooking
meals, drinking water and sanitation. But in urban areas, facilities of
centralised kitchens for cooking meals may be used as per guideline issued
by Central Govt. *(section-5)*
*6. **Prevention and Management of Child Malnutrition *
The State Govt. shall, through the local Anganwadi, identify and provide
meals, free of charge, to the children who suffer from malnutrition, so as
to meet the nutritional standards specified in Schedule II*. ( section-6)*
*7. **Entitlements of Special Groups *
The special groups consistsing of all destitiute persons or homeless
persons shall have the following entitlements.
a. All destitute persons shall be entitled to at least one meal
every day, free of charge , in accordance with such scheme, including cost
sharing , as may be prescribed by the Central Govt.
b. All homeless opersons shall be entitled to affordable meals at
community kitchens in accordance with such scheme, including cost sharing ,
as may be prescribed by the Central Govt.
c. The persons in receipt of similar benefits under any otrher
schemes of Central Govt. or State Govt. shall not be entitled to get
abovementioned benefits.
d. The migrants and their families shall be able to claim their
entitlements under this Act, at the place where they currently reside. *(
section-8) *
*8. **Emergency and disaster affected persons*
The State Govt. shall , it it is of the opinion that an emergency or
disaster situation exists , provide to affected households , two meals ,
free of charge for a period up to 3 months for the date of disaster in
accordance with such schemes including cost sharing as may be prescribed
by the Central Government. *(section-9) *
* *
*9. **Persons living in starvation *
a. The State Govt. shall identify persons, households, groups or
communities living in starvation or conditions akin to starvation.
b. All persons , households, groups or communities identified living
in starvation shall be provided meals two times a day, free of charge,
in accordance with a scheme, including cost sharing as may be prescribed by
Central Govt. for six months from the date of identification.
c. Every State Govt. shall prepare and notify guidelines for
prevention, identification and relief to cases of starvation. *(
section-10,11,12)*
*10. **Right to receive food security allowances in certain cases. *
In case of non-supply of the entitled quantities of food grains or meals
to entitled persons as mentioned above, such persons shall be entitled to
receive such food security allowance from the concerned State Govt. to be
paid to each persons within such time and manner as may be prescribed by
the Central Govt. *(section-13)*
*11. **Identification of Priority Households and General Households*
a. At the all India level, the percentage coverage of overall rural
and urban population under the priority and general households, for the
purposes of providing subsidized foodgrains under TPDS shall be determined
by Central Govt.
*b. * The State-wise distribution shall, from time to time, be
determined by the Central Govt*. ( section-14) *
*12. **Guideline for identification of Priority households and general
households*
a. The Central Government may, from time to time, prescribe the
guidelines for identification of priority households , general households
and exclusion criteria , for the purposes of their entitlement under this
Act. *( section- 15)*
b. The list of the identified priority households and general
households shall be placed by the State Govt. in a public domain and
displayed prominently. *( section-16)*
* *
*13. **Reforms in Targeted PDS *
The Central Govt. and State Govt. shall endeavour to progressively
undertake necessary reforms in TPDS as follows.
a. Doorstep delivery of foodgrains to the TPDS outlets
b. Application of information and communication technology tools
including end-to-end computerization in order to ensure transparent
recording of transactions at all levels.
c. Leveraging "aadhar" for unique identification, with biometric
information of entitled beneficiaries for proper targeting of benefits
under this Act.
d. Full transparency of records.
e. Preference to public institutions or public bodies such as
Panchayats, self help groups, cooperatives, in licensing of fair price
shops and management of fair price shops by women or their collectives.
f. Support to local public distribution models and grain banks.
g. Introducing schemes such as cash transfers, food coupons or other
schemes to the targeted beneficiaries in lieu of their food entitlements. *
(section-18)*
*14. **Women of eighteen years of age or above to be head of household
for purpose of issue of ration card. *
a. The eldest woman who is not less than eighteen years of age shall
be head of the household for the purpose of issue of ration card.
*b. *Where a household does not have woman or a woman of eighteen
years of age or above, but has a female member below the age of eighteen
years , the eldest male member of the household shall be head of the
household for the purpose of issue of ration card and the female member on
attaining age of eighteen years shall become the head of the household for
such card in place of such male member*. ( section-19) *
*15. **Grievance Redressal Mechanism *
a. The Central Govt. and the State Govt. shall put in place an
internal grievance redressal mechanism like call centres, help lines,
designation of nodal officers, or other mechanism may be prescribed.
b. For effective redressal of grievances of the aggrieved persons in
matters relating to distribution of entitled food-grains or meals under
PDS, MDM, ICDS, for special groups, disaster-affected persons etc., a
district grievance redressal officer shall be appointed by State Govt. for
each district to enforce these entitlements and investigate and redress
grievances. *( section-21)*
*16. **State Food Commission *
a. Every State Govt. shall constitute a State Food Commission for
the purpose of monitoring and review of implementation of the Act.
b. State Commission shall constitute of Chairman, other five members
and Member-secretary. There shall be at least two women, one person from
Scheduled Caste and one person from Scheduled Tribe.
c. The Chairperson, other Members and Member-Secretary shall be
appointed from amongst persons (1) who are or have members of All
India services or any other Civil Services of the Union or state or
holding a civil post having knowledge and experience in matters
relating to food security, policy making and administration in the field
of agriculture, civil supplies , nutrition and health etc. , (2) of
eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in
agriculture, law, human rights, social service, management, nutrition,
health, food policy or public administration, (3) who have a proven
record of work relating to the improvement of the food and nutrition rights
of the poor.
d. The Chairperson or other persons shall hold officer for a term
not exceeding five years. The age limit is sixty-five years*.
(section-22)*
*17. * *Functions of State Food Commission *
(1) The State Commission shall undertake the following functions.
a. Monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Act
b. Either suo moto or on receipt of complaint inquire into violations
of entitlements provided in different sections of the Act.
c. Issue guidelines to the State Govt. in consonance with the
guidelines of the National Commission.
d. Give advice to the State Govt., their agencies, autonomous bodies
as well as non-government organizations involved in delivery of relevant
services for the effective implementation of food and nutrition related
schemes
e. Hear appeals against orders of the District Grievance Redressal
Officer
f. Hear complaints transferred to it by the District Grievance
Redressal Officer
g. Prepare Annual Report
(2) The State Govt. has the power to remove the Chairperson and Members
of the Commission from the office on the ground of inefficiency,
insolvency etc.
(3) The appointment procedure will be decided as may be prescribed by
the Central Govt* ( section-22)*
18. *Constitution of National Food Commission*
(1) The Central Govt. shall constitute National Food Commission to
perform the functions such as follows
* *
a. Monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Act
b. Either suo moto or on receipt of complaint inquire into violations
of entitlements provided in different sections of the Act.
c. Give advice to the Central Govt., in synergizing the schemes and
framing new schemes for the entitlements provided under the Act.
d. Recommend to the Central Govt. and the State Govt. , steps for
effective implementation of food and nutrition related schemes and to
enable persons to fylly access their entitlements under the Act.
e. Issue requisite guidelines for training, capacity building and
performance management of all persons charged with the duty of
the implementation
of the schemes.
f. Consider the reports and recommendations of the State
Commission for inclusion in its annual report.
g. Hear appeals against the orders of the State Commission.
h. Prepare Annual Report on implementation of the Act.
(2) The National Commission shall consist of one Chairperson, five
members, and one Member-secretary.
(3) There shall be at least two women, one person from SC and one
person from ST in the Commission.
(4) The tenure of the Commission is five years and age limit is 65
years.
(5) The appointment procedure will be decided as may be prescribed by
the Central Govt.
(6) The Central Govt. has power to remove the Commissioners from the
office on the ground of inefficiency, insolvency, convicted of an offence
etc. *(section-26)*
*19. **Powers relating to enquiries *
The National Commission as well as State Commission, while enquiring into
any matter have all the powers of Civil Court while trying a suit under
Civil Procedure Code, 1908. * (section-27)*
*20. * *Provision for fund by Central Govt. to State Govt. in certain
cases *
In case of short supply of food grains from the central pool to a
state, the Central Govt. shall provide funds to the extent of short
supply to the State Govt. for meeting obligations under different
provisions of the Act as may be prescribed by the Central Govt. *(section-31)
*
*21. **Penalties *
Any public servant or authority found guilty by the State Commission or
the National Commission at the time of deciding any complaint or appeal,
of failing to provide the relief recommended by the District Grievance
Redressal Officer, without reasonable cause or willfully ignoring such
recommendation shall be liable to penalty not exceeding five thousand
rupees. *(section-41)*
*22. **Act to have overriding effect*
The provisions of this Act or the schemes made thereunder shall have
effect notwithstanding anything inconsistent contained in any other law
for the time being in force or in any instrument having effect by
virtue of such law. *(section-44) *
* *
*23. * *Obligation of Central Govt. for food security *
a. The Central Govt. shall, for ensuring the regular supply of
foodgrains to the persons belonging to priority households and general
households , allocate from the central pool the required quantity of
foodgrains to the state Govt. under Targeted PDS. It will also provide
foodgrains in respect of all entitlements under provisions of the Act.
b. The Central Govt. shall create and maintain required modern and
scientific facilities at various level. *( Section-30)*
*24. **Obligation of State Govt. for food security*
a. The State Govt*. *shall be responsible for implementation and
monitoring of the scheme of various ministries and Departments of the
Central Govt. in accordance with the guidelines issued by Central Govt.
for each scheme and their schemes for ensuring food security to the
targeted beneficiaries in the state.
b. Under TPDS, the State Govt. shall take delivery of food grain from
designated depot of the Central Govt. in the state, ensure actual delivery
or supply of food grains to the entitled beneficiaries.
c. The State Govt. shall prepare and notify guidelines for
prevention, identification, and relief to cases of starvation.
d. In case of non-supply of entitled quantities of food grain or meals
to entitled persons, the State Govt. shall be responsible for payment of
food security allowance. *(section-32) *
25. *Obligation of Local Authorities *
The Local authorities shall be responsible for proper implementation
of various
provisions of the Act as assigned to them by the State Govt. *
(Section-33)*
*26. **Transparency and accountability *
· All targeted Public Distribution System related records shall be
placed in public domain and kept open for public inspection.
· Every local authority or body or any other authority as
authorized by State Govt. shall conduct periodic social audit on TPDS
and other welfare schemes, publicize its report and take necessary action as
prescribed by State Govt.
· For ensuring transparency and proper functioning of TPDS and
accountability of functionaries, State Govt. shall set up vigilance
committees at the State, district, block and fair price shop level consisting
of such persons as may be prescribed by State Govt. giving due
representation from the local authorities and the Scheduled caste,
scheduled tribe, women, destitute etc. *( section-35,36,37)*
*27. **Subsidized price for Priority Household and General Household*
· Subsidized price for priority Household shall be not
exceeding rupees 3 per kg for rice, Rs. 2/- per kg for wheat and Rs. 1/-
per kg for coarse grains.
· Subsidized price for General Household shall be not exceeding
50 percent of the minimum support price for wheat and coarse grains and
not exceeding 50 % of derived minimum support price for rice. *(
scheduled-1)*
*Prepared by*
* Pradip Pradhan*
K. V. Thomas, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
on 19.12.2011. The mandate of the Bill is to provide for food and
nutritional security in human life cycle approach, by ensuring access to
adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a
life with dignity and for matters connected therewith. The Salient
features of the Bill is as follows.
1. The Bill has 15 chapters with 52 sections.
*2. **Important Definitions *
a. "Destitute Person" means men, women or children who have no
resources, means and support required for food and nutrition enabling their
survival, to the extent that makes them vulnerable to live with or die of
starvation.
b. "Senior Citizen" means a person defined as such under clause (h) of
section 2 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens
Act,2007.
c. "Social Audit" means the process in which people collectively
monitor and evaluate the planning and implementation of a programme or
scheme.
d. "Starvation" means prolonged involuntary deprivation of food that
threatens survival of the person.
*3. **Right to receive foodgrains at subsidized prices by persons
belonging to priority households and general households under TPDS *
Every person belonging to priority households and general households which
will be identified by the Govt. shall be entitled to receive every
month under targeted Public Distribution System , seven kilograms of
foodgrains per person per month for priority households and not less than
three kilograms of foodgrains per person per month for general households
at subisdised prices. The entitlements at subsidised prices shall extend
up to seventy-five percent of the rural population and up to fifty percent
of the urban population. But not less than forty-six percent of the rural
and twenty-eight percent of the urban population shall be designated as
priority households. *( section-3)*
*4. **Nutritional Support to pregnant women and lactating mothers *
Every pregnant woman and lactating mothers shall be entitled to meal,
free of charge, during pregnancy and six months after the child birth ,
through local anganwadi, so as to meet the nutritional standards specified
in Schedule 11. They shall aslo be entitled maternity benefit of rupees
one thousand per month for a period of six months in accordance with a
scheme, including cost sharing, payable in such instalments as may be
prescribed by the Central Government. *( section-4)*
*5. **Nutritional support to Children *
Every child up to the age of fourteen years shall be entitled to get the
following entitlements for his nutritional needs.
a. In case of children in the age group of six months to six years,
age appropriate meal, free of charge , through the local anganwadi so as to
meet the nutritional standards.
b. In the case of children in the age group of six to fourteen years,
one mid-day meal , free of charge , every day except on school holidays in
all schools run by local bodies , Govt and Govt aided schools, up to
class VIII, so as to meet their nutritional standard.
c. Every school and Anganwadi shall have facilities for cooking
meals, drinking water and sanitation. But in urban areas, facilities of
centralised kitchens for cooking meals may be used as per guideline issued
by Central Govt. *(section-5)*
*6. **Prevention and Management of Child Malnutrition *
The State Govt. shall, through the local Anganwadi, identify and provide
meals, free of charge, to the children who suffer from malnutrition, so as
to meet the nutritional standards specified in Schedule II*. ( section-6)*
*7. **Entitlements of Special Groups *
The special groups consistsing of all destitiute persons or homeless
persons shall have the following entitlements.
a. All destitute persons shall be entitled to at least one meal
every day, free of charge , in accordance with such scheme, including cost
sharing , as may be prescribed by the Central Govt.
b. All homeless opersons shall be entitled to affordable meals at
community kitchens in accordance with such scheme, including cost sharing ,
as may be prescribed by the Central Govt.
c. The persons in receipt of similar benefits under any otrher
schemes of Central Govt. or State Govt. shall not be entitled to get
abovementioned benefits.
d. The migrants and their families shall be able to claim their
entitlements under this Act, at the place where they currently reside. *(
section-8) *
*8. **Emergency and disaster affected persons*
The State Govt. shall , it it is of the opinion that an emergency or
disaster situation exists , provide to affected households , two meals ,
free of charge for a period up to 3 months for the date of disaster in
accordance with such schemes including cost sharing as may be prescribed
by the Central Government. *(section-9) *
* *
*9. **Persons living in starvation *
a. The State Govt. shall identify persons, households, groups or
communities living in starvation or conditions akin to starvation.
b. All persons , households, groups or communities identified living
in starvation shall be provided meals two times a day, free of charge,
in accordance with a scheme, including cost sharing as may be prescribed by
Central Govt. for six months from the date of identification.
c. Every State Govt. shall prepare and notify guidelines for
prevention, identification and relief to cases of starvation. *(
section-10,11,12)*
*10. **Right to receive food security allowances in certain cases. *
In case of non-supply of the entitled quantities of food grains or meals
to entitled persons as mentioned above, such persons shall be entitled to
receive such food security allowance from the concerned State Govt. to be
paid to each persons within such time and manner as may be prescribed by
the Central Govt. *(section-13)*
*11. **Identification of Priority Households and General Households*
a. At the all India level, the percentage coverage of overall rural
and urban population under the priority and general households, for the
purposes of providing subsidized foodgrains under TPDS shall be determined
by Central Govt.
*b. * The State-wise distribution shall, from time to time, be
determined by the Central Govt*. ( section-14) *
*12. **Guideline for identification of Priority households and general
households*
a. The Central Government may, from time to time, prescribe the
guidelines for identification of priority households , general households
and exclusion criteria , for the purposes of their entitlement under this
Act. *( section- 15)*
b. The list of the identified priority households and general
households shall be placed by the State Govt. in a public domain and
displayed prominently. *( section-16)*
* *
*13. **Reforms in Targeted PDS *
The Central Govt. and State Govt. shall endeavour to progressively
undertake necessary reforms in TPDS as follows.
a. Doorstep delivery of foodgrains to the TPDS outlets
b. Application of information and communication technology tools
including end-to-end computerization in order to ensure transparent
recording of transactions at all levels.
c. Leveraging "aadhar" for unique identification, with biometric
information of entitled beneficiaries for proper targeting of benefits
under this Act.
d. Full transparency of records.
e. Preference to public institutions or public bodies such as
Panchayats, self help groups, cooperatives, in licensing of fair price
shops and management of fair price shops by women or their collectives.
f. Support to local public distribution models and grain banks.
g. Introducing schemes such as cash transfers, food coupons or other
schemes to the targeted beneficiaries in lieu of their food entitlements. *
(section-18)*
*14. **Women of eighteen years of age or above to be head of household
for purpose of issue of ration card. *
a. The eldest woman who is not less than eighteen years of age shall
be head of the household for the purpose of issue of ration card.
*b. *Where a household does not have woman or a woman of eighteen
years of age or above, but has a female member below the age of eighteen
years , the eldest male member of the household shall be head of the
household for the purpose of issue of ration card and the female member on
attaining age of eighteen years shall become the head of the household for
such card in place of such male member*. ( section-19) *
*15. **Grievance Redressal Mechanism *
a. The Central Govt. and the State Govt. shall put in place an
internal grievance redressal mechanism like call centres, help lines,
designation of nodal officers, or other mechanism may be prescribed.
b. For effective redressal of grievances of the aggrieved persons in
matters relating to distribution of entitled food-grains or meals under
PDS, MDM, ICDS, for special groups, disaster-affected persons etc., a
district grievance redressal officer shall be appointed by State Govt. for
each district to enforce these entitlements and investigate and redress
grievances. *( section-21)*
*16. **State Food Commission *
a. Every State Govt. shall constitute a State Food Commission for
the purpose of monitoring and review of implementation of the Act.
b. State Commission shall constitute of Chairman, other five members
and Member-secretary. There shall be at least two women, one person from
Scheduled Caste and one person from Scheduled Tribe.
c. The Chairperson, other Members and Member-Secretary shall be
appointed from amongst persons (1) who are or have members of All
India services or any other Civil Services of the Union or state or
holding a civil post having knowledge and experience in matters
relating to food security, policy making and administration in the field
of agriculture, civil supplies , nutrition and health etc. , (2) of
eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in
agriculture, law, human rights, social service, management, nutrition,
health, food policy or public administration, (3) who have a proven
record of work relating to the improvement of the food and nutrition rights
of the poor.
d. The Chairperson or other persons shall hold officer for a term
not exceeding five years. The age limit is sixty-five years*.
(section-22)*
*17. * *Functions of State Food Commission *
(1) The State Commission shall undertake the following functions.
a. Monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Act
b. Either suo moto or on receipt of complaint inquire into violations
of entitlements provided in different sections of the Act.
c. Issue guidelines to the State Govt. in consonance with the
guidelines of the National Commission.
d. Give advice to the State Govt., their agencies, autonomous bodies
as well as non-government organizations involved in delivery of relevant
services for the effective implementation of food and nutrition related
schemes
e. Hear appeals against orders of the District Grievance Redressal
Officer
f. Hear complaints transferred to it by the District Grievance
Redressal Officer
g. Prepare Annual Report
(2) The State Govt. has the power to remove the Chairperson and Members
of the Commission from the office on the ground of inefficiency,
insolvency etc.
(3) The appointment procedure will be decided as may be prescribed by
the Central Govt* ( section-22)*
18. *Constitution of National Food Commission*
(1) The Central Govt. shall constitute National Food Commission to
perform the functions such as follows
* *
a. Monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Act
b. Either suo moto or on receipt of complaint inquire into violations
of entitlements provided in different sections of the Act.
c. Give advice to the Central Govt., in synergizing the schemes and
framing new schemes for the entitlements provided under the Act.
d. Recommend to the Central Govt. and the State Govt. , steps for
effective implementation of food and nutrition related schemes and to
enable persons to fylly access their entitlements under the Act.
e. Issue requisite guidelines for training, capacity building and
performance management of all persons charged with the duty of
the implementation
of the schemes.
f. Consider the reports and recommendations of the State
Commission for inclusion in its annual report.
g. Hear appeals against the orders of the State Commission.
h. Prepare Annual Report on implementation of the Act.
(2) The National Commission shall consist of one Chairperson, five
members, and one Member-secretary.
(3) There shall be at least two women, one person from SC and one
person from ST in the Commission.
(4) The tenure of the Commission is five years and age limit is 65
years.
(5) The appointment procedure will be decided as may be prescribed by
the Central Govt.
(6) The Central Govt. has power to remove the Commissioners from the
office on the ground of inefficiency, insolvency, convicted of an offence
etc. *(section-26)*
*19. **Powers relating to enquiries *
The National Commission as well as State Commission, while enquiring into
any matter have all the powers of Civil Court while trying a suit under
Civil Procedure Code, 1908. * (section-27)*
*20. * *Provision for fund by Central Govt. to State Govt. in certain
cases *
In case of short supply of food grains from the central pool to a
state, the Central Govt. shall provide funds to the extent of short
supply to the State Govt. for meeting obligations under different
provisions of the Act as may be prescribed by the Central Govt. *(section-31)
*
*21. **Penalties *
Any public servant or authority found guilty by the State Commission or
the National Commission at the time of deciding any complaint or appeal,
of failing to provide the relief recommended by the District Grievance
Redressal Officer, without reasonable cause or willfully ignoring such
recommendation shall be liable to penalty not exceeding five thousand
rupees. *(section-41)*
*22. **Act to have overriding effect*
The provisions of this Act or the schemes made thereunder shall have
effect notwithstanding anything inconsistent contained in any other law
for the time being in force or in any instrument having effect by
virtue of such law. *(section-44) *
* *
*23. * *Obligation of Central Govt. for food security *
a. The Central Govt. shall, for ensuring the regular supply of
foodgrains to the persons belonging to priority households and general
households , allocate from the central pool the required quantity of
foodgrains to the state Govt. under Targeted PDS. It will also provide
foodgrains in respect of all entitlements under provisions of the Act.
b. The Central Govt. shall create and maintain required modern and
scientific facilities at various level. *( Section-30)*
*24. **Obligation of State Govt. for food security*
a. The State Govt*. *shall be responsible for implementation and
monitoring of the scheme of various ministries and Departments of the
Central Govt. in accordance with the guidelines issued by Central Govt.
for each scheme and their schemes for ensuring food security to the
targeted beneficiaries in the state.
b. Under TPDS, the State Govt. shall take delivery of food grain from
designated depot of the Central Govt. in the state, ensure actual delivery
or supply of food grains to the entitled beneficiaries.
c. The State Govt. shall prepare and notify guidelines for
prevention, identification, and relief to cases of starvation.
d. In case of non-supply of entitled quantities of food grain or meals
to entitled persons, the State Govt. shall be responsible for payment of
food security allowance. *(section-32) *
25. *Obligation of Local Authorities *
The Local authorities shall be responsible for proper implementation
of various
provisions of the Act as assigned to them by the State Govt. *
(Section-33)*
*26. **Transparency and accountability *
· All targeted Public Distribution System related records shall be
placed in public domain and kept open for public inspection.
· Every local authority or body or any other authority as
authorized by State Govt. shall conduct periodic social audit on TPDS
and other welfare schemes, publicize its report and take necessary action as
prescribed by State Govt.
· For ensuring transparency and proper functioning of TPDS and
accountability of functionaries, State Govt. shall set up vigilance
committees at the State, district, block and fair price shop level consisting
of such persons as may be prescribed by State Govt. giving due
representation from the local authorities and the Scheduled caste,
scheduled tribe, women, destitute etc. *( section-35,36,37)*
*27. **Subsidized price for Priority Household and General Household*
· Subsidized price for priority Household shall be not
exceeding rupees 3 per kg for rice, Rs. 2/- per kg for wheat and Rs. 1/-
per kg for coarse grains.
· Subsidized price for General Household shall be not exceeding
50 percent of the minimum support price for wheat and coarse grains and
not exceeding 50 % of derived minimum support price for rice. *(
scheduled-1)*
*Prepared by*
* Pradip Pradhan*
Per capita availability 445.3 442.8 436 444 438 gms/day
19.12.2011 Cabinet clears food bill
Salient Features
1 Legal entitlement of cheaper food to 63.5% of country
Rural - 75% of ppl will be covered ; atleast 46% under priority
Urbal - 50% of ppl will be covered; atleast 28% under priority
2 Benefit to Common Man
Rice - Rs. 3/kg >> food subsidy increases by 27663 crores to 95000 crores
wheat - Rs. 2/kg
coarse grain - Rs. 1/kg
7 kg. of each to per person per month
3 Benefit to woman
Maternity benefit @ Rs. 1000 for six months >> liability 14512 cr p.a.
Ration Card to be issued to eldest female in household
4 Non compliance
a) 3 tier grievance commission
level 1 - District grievance Redressal Officer
level 2- State Food Commission
level 3 - National Food Commission
b)Penalty of Rs. 5000 on public servants for non compliance
Total liabilty 3.5 lakh crores
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