New fees for food and drug companies anchor draft legislation released Thursday that's aimed at improving the safety of the nation's food and drug supply. The draft legislation, spearheaded by Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., and other Democratic leaders of a powerful House committee, also says regulators should inspect food and drug makers more frequently. The proposal, if enacted, would lead to major changes in food and drug oversight, and it was quick to draw rebukes.

"The food crisis that the country is now witnessing is not a sudden emergence but a creation of deliberate policies and laws that have over a period of time practically taken away the country's food security,' said Navdanya founder-director Vandana Shiva here on Wednesday, adding that "the Government cannot now wash its hands off the food crisis that the country finds itself in'.

Concerns among Japanese people about prices and food safety have increased sharply since a year ago, according to a government survey. The survey of 5,494 adults nationwide also found that a record high 57.0 percent have a sense of patriotism, the Cabinet Office said. Asked about areas where they see deterioration, prices were mentioned by 42.3 percent and food was cited by 40.9 percent in the survey conducted in February.

Eminent agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan has said wheat procurement in Punjab and Haryana during the ongoing Rabi season is very critical for the food security of the country.

For years, anti-poverty campaigners railed against low commodity prices, which depressed farmers' incomes in developing countries.

During the last few days, questions and replies in the Assam Assembly relating to the food situation in the State have been a major cause for concern.

Subodh Kant Sahai is a man known to have donned different hats. In charge of the ministry for food processing industries, he believes that the industry's growth is remarkable and real. In conversation with Justin Thomas, he speaks about how the sector would be a focus and the effects it will cast on rural India.

What are the major infrastructure initiatives of your ministry?

Policies and conditions which prevent the establishment of the preconditions for agency and reasoned decision by all citizens exclude India's poor from substantive citizenship and treat them as less