National Food Security Bill

The revised form of the National Food Security Bill has been cleared by the Union Cabinet. As per the revised Bill:

• 67% of nation’s population (including 75% rural and 50% urban) will be entitled for subsidized grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
• 5 kg of rice, wheat or coarse cereals at Rs. 3, 2 and Re. 1 a kg a month to every beneficiary who will be identified by the States based on parameters prescribed by the

Human Development

Gender Inequality Index: It measures the loss in a country’s progress and human development because of gender inequality in three sectors: reproductive health, women empowerment and labor market participation.

Human Development Index : Human development in terms of education(literacy),per capita income and  living condition for living (high expectancy)

Dongria Kondh

The Dongria Kondh, a primitive tribal group [now termed as particularly vulnerable tribe], has been protecting more than 7 sq. km. of the sacred undisturbed forests on top of the mountain, where the proposed mining lease area of the Lanjigarh bauxite mining lease is located. They consider the land and forests sacred to their deity. Diversion of these sacred areas for mining will undermine the customary rights of the Dongria Kondhs to protect their sacred places of worship and thereby amount to a violation of their fundamental right to manage their own affairs in the matter of religion and fundamental right to conserve the culture of their own. It was also in direct violation further of the specific provisions of the Forest Rights Act.

As per Govt. the Lanjigarh bauxite mining lease is located in Scheduled Areas as referred to in Clause (1) of Article 244 of the Constitution. Circumscribing or extinguishing of forest rights in such areas shall not be in conformity with the provisions of the clause-5 of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution.