While the government is spending thousands of crores of rupees in various welfare programmes, food subsidy and is even planning a food security law for the poor, the rural development ministry said poverty has come down in magnitude.

The farm ministry is getting jitters over 14 per cent monsoon deficiency in peak of kharif-sowing season even as policy planners are pondering on ways to improve agriculture production in the long-run.

The food ministry is not sure whether the states would revamp the ailing targeted public distribution system (TPDS), integral to the success of the proposed National Food Security Act.

Having rejected the government approved Communal Violence (Prevention, Control & Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill 2005, Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council will keep both, the home and the law ministries, in the loop while redrafting the legislation in order to avoid any “differences of opinion”.

Setting aside differences within, the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council recommended the rollout of the proposed National Food Security Act in a phased manner in around 160 of the poorest of poor districts or blocks, providing 35 kg of grains at Rs 3 per kg to every household.

The Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC) meets once again on Wednesday in the span of less than a fortnight to firm up the broad contours of the contentious National Food Security Bill. However, it is unlikely that the proposed legislation would provide for universal entitlement.

The Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council will address the “concerns” of the minorities when it takes up the Communal Violence Bill (Prevention, Control & Rehabilitation of Victims) on July 14. Sources said the focus of the meet will be on protection of the minorities, ensuring justice to them, prevention of communal violence and shielding the population threatened by mass disturbances.

Activists and food experts want the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council to address the larger issue of hunger in the country than providing subsidised ration to the poor while drafting the proposed National Food Security Act.

Trying to make the proposed National Food Security Act work on the ground, Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council will consider local procurement and distribution of food grains as an alternative to the “inefficient and corrupt” targeted public distribution system.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s top agenda to usher land reforms in the country, especially in tribal areas, has evoked poor response from the states, even the Congress-ruled ones.