A day before the expiry of the deadline set by the Supreme Court, the Centre on Tuesday took steps to notify the final order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal allocating the quantum of waters to the Cauvery basin States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala and Union territory of Puducherry.

Water Resources Secretary S.K. Sarkar signed the notification for publication in the official gazette, which is said to be in the process. The CWDT order attempts to settle the 120-year-old dispute on the sharing of the Cauvery waters. Karnataka has opposed the gazette notification of the final order.

Current grains allocation, AAY entitlement will be protected under the Bill, he assures States

Responding to concerns expressed by several States on a possible cut in food grains allocation under the National Food Security Bill, the Centre on Thursday gave an assurance that the current allocation will be protected and so will the Antyodaya Anna Yojna (AAY) entitlement for the poorest of the poor. The Bill, Minister of State for Food K.V. Thomas said, would be reworked to make it “practical” and “acceptable.” It was proposed to be presented in the budget session of Parliament.

Caution Centre against trying to rush the new measure through Parliament

Even as the Centre hopes to introduce and pass the National Food Security Bill in the coming Budget session of Parliament, several States have expressed reservations on the Bill. At a consultation meeting of State Food Ministers here to evolve a consensus on the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee to which the government Bill was referred on Wednesday, many States differed on crucial provisions, particularly the ones relating to identification of beneficiaries, sustained availability of grains, proposed cut in individual entitlement and additional expenses to be borne by them.

Meeting will give rein to hazardous industries, says Coalition for GM-free India

The Union Ministry of Agriculture has no intention of keeping off a conference it has supported despite the Coalition for GM-free India having taken umbrage at the Government associating with an event organised by the agro-chemical industry to be addressed by speakers known for being promoters of genetically modified (GM) crops as an answer to food security.

West Bengal, Assam, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh to observe strict surveillance

The Centre on Wednesday sounded ‘high alert’ in border States against avian influenza after outbreak of the dreaded poultry disease in Bhutan. Thousands of birds have been culled in Bhutan after the outbreak, which is yet to be controlled. Earlier this month, samples of affected birds were sent to India’s High Security Animal Disease Lab in Bhopal and they tested positive.

Recommends a mandatory coverage of 67 per cent of population for subsidised grains

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Food has recommended a mandatory coverage of 67 per cent of the country’s population for subsidised rice, wheat and millets under the National Food Security Bill with a reduced and uniform monthly entitlement of 5 kg per person. As opposed to an overwhelming demand from States and civil society groups for universal public distribution system to ensure “food and nutrition security,” the UPA government’s ambitious Bill proposes coverage of 75 per cent rural and 50 per cent urban population at 2011 census figures.

Inclusion, exclusion categories to replace BPL, APL labels

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Food and Consumer Affairs has suggested that food entitlements under the National Food Security Act be made available to 67 per cent of the population, leaving out the 33 per cent who pay taxes, have a pucca house and so on. It wants the ‘priority’ (Below Poverty Line) and ‘general’ (Above Poverty Line) categories to go and be replaced with “inclusion” and “exclusion” categories.

The identification of beneficiaries for subsidised rice and wheat under the Public Distribution System will be done by State governments.

The Cauvery Monitoring Committee at its meeting on Thursday said it would “not be appropriate” to decide that Karnataka should release more waters from its dams to Tamil Nadu, considering that the upper riparian State will have only 16 tmcft available in its reservoirs for drinking purposes till May 2013.

“Water for drinking is a priority over water for irrigation. Both States must conserve water in their dams for drinking purposes,’’ the panel said in its order. Noting that as per the interim award of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal (CWDT) that provides for pro rata sharing of distress, Tamil Nadu should receive 1.51 tmcft during January, the panel said that even if no water was released from the reservoirs of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu continued to receive water from the “intermediate catchments” between Karnataka dams and the Mettur reservoir in Tamil Nadu.

Although inter-State water disputes and arbitration with neighbouring Pakistan over the Kishenganga hydro-electric project in Jammu & Kashmir dominated the functioning of the Union Water Resources Ministry in 2012, it is expected that in the New Year the Government will focus on giving a push to water sector reforms.

With the revised national water policy being “adopted” at the recent National Water Council meeting, the Ministry will prepare during the year an over-arching legal framework of guidelines for the States to follow.

The 12th Plan will strategise on a greater role for the private sector in agriculture.