The State: paid news, food security

P. Sainath on Food security:

• The food security legislation in the form that now seems likely weakens and dilutes the Directive Principles of State Policy of the Indian Constitution. Those are universal, not targeted. Sure, we have to move towards making them real. But we need at every stage to ask whether the steps we take strengthen or weaken the Directive Principles. These steps on food security weaken them. Also when we act in isolation in one sector like food, we undermine the vital others. What we could do with is a comprehensive universal programme that covers nutrition, work, health and education. At one time, for one nation.

Sunil Jain writes on paid news and the stupidity of The State

• Despite the sub-committee report documenting all this, the PCI’s 13-page “detailed report” does not mention even one instance cited in the 71 pages of the sub-committee report which, it says, “may remain on record of the PCI as reference document”, nor does it annex the report — the actual report, though, is not on the PCI’s website (it can be accessed at http://www.scribd.com/doc/ 35436631/The-Buried-PCI-Report-on-Paid-News).