New Delhi: India yesterday gave a clear signal that it will be firm on the core agenda of food security while pursuing a constructive dialogue at the ministerial conference of World Trade Organization (WTO) in Bali from December 3 to 6.
An official release said Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, who is leading a 30-member delegation for the ninth ministerial conference of WTO, would unequivocally convey to his interlocutors that India’s concerns on food security were non-negotiable.
Sharma is likely to raise the issue of the subsistence farmers of India strongly at the G-33 meeting being convened today at Bali ahead of the conference.
The release said Sharma will underscore the need to have a fair and balanced outcome, which addresses the concerns of developing countries adequately, especially so on food security.
“India’s public stockholding programme for public distribution system cannot be compromised for minor gains of the developed countries,” the release said. Sharma has indicated that India will be firm on the core agenda of food security, while being persuasive and constructive, it said.
Sharma is also likely to underscore India’s commitment for the Least Developed Countries (LDC) agenda where it has taken a unilateral decision for zero duty access covering 96.2 percent of tariff lines. “India will demonstrate its constructive engagement, as it has unequivocally endorsed three out of the five issues under consideration of the WTO - LDC issues, tariff rate quota and export competition,” the release said.
Sharma will pitch for a balanced outcome which addresses India’s food security concerns “in spite of the strong head winds in Bali with the developed countries likely to oppose a lasting agreement on food security”.
Minister quizzed in weapons theft case
Ranchi: Jharkhand Excise Minister Jai Prakash Bhai Patel yesterday was questioned by police in a weapons theft case, police sources said.
The role of the minister was under suspicion in the theft of weapons of his bodyguards. Two AK 47s, one 9 mm pistol and live cartridges went missing Nov 23 when the minister and his bodyguards were sleeping in a guest house of Hazaribagh district.
Three bodyguards were suspended after the weapons were stolen. Hazaribagh police took permission of the court two days ago for brain mapping and narco test of the bodyguards. The two AK 47s and 150 live cartridges were recovered from a pond on Saturday.IANS
