Views

Instead of convening a special session of Parliament, the UPA needs to display greater political commitment to the issue of food security for the people. Sitaram Yechury column.

The race for the next foreign secretary’s post is very much open. While the frontrunner is Sujatha Singh, India’s ambassador to Germany, S Jaishankar, India’s envoy to China, is also very much in the running.

Contrary to speculations after his shift from principal secretary to advisor to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, TKA Nair still plays a key role in the PMO.

The election to the two Rajya Sabha seats from Assam has put the Congress high command in a fix. The party has fielded Manmohan Singh and Santiuse Kujur, a tribal and a newcomer for the poll while Badruddin Ajmal’s United Democratic Front has also put up a candidate necessitating voting.

With reference to the report Food Bill may head back to House (June 14), the food security Bill is an election gimmick by the UPA. Theoretically, it is a sound proposal, but with the Bill the motivation to earn a livelihood is dampened.

With reference to the report Spare a thought before you waste (Focus, June 9), it is a matter of shame that in India, which is home to the largest number of hungry people in the world, a quantity of wheat equivalent to the entire production of Australia goes to waste.

Food minister KV Thomas is steering the landmark food security bill, the UPA government’s most ambitious social welfare measure so far. In an interview to Hindustan Times' Varghese K George, Thomas explains what the law promises and how soon it could be a reality.

Mr TK Malhotra, President of the Automobile Association of Upper India (AAUI), a body that works closely with the government to streamline road and driving management issues was recently elected as Vice President of the Federation Internationale de l’ Automobile. He talks about his plans and the role of AAUI to HT.