The recently promulgated National Food Security ordinance, which aims to provide 5 kg of food grains per person per month at subsidised prices under the targeted public distribution system, might be in violation of the global trading rules on agriculture under World Trade Organization (WTO).

According to trade economists and experts, even if the ordinance is aimed at giving subsidies to people living below the poverty line for consumption purposes, it nevertheless tantamount to subsidies, which are otherwise prohibited under WTO norms, which is commonly known as 'trade distorting subsidies' or 'Amber Box' subsidies in trade parlance. Read More

Jyothi Shankaran

    Jyothi’s last role was as Senior Editor with the business news channel Bloomberg TV India. He also worked as News Editor at business-standard.com, the online version of the business newspaper Business Standard. Jyothi is a chemical engineer from the Regional Engineering College, Srinagar.