West Bengal Governor Mr. M.K. Narayanan said today that food security and employment generation are matters of concern to India. Mr. Narayanan said this while addressing a session at the Pan IIT Alumni Global Conference that began in Kolkata today. He said Food security is a crucial issue and Employment generation is a matter of concern.  He said several steps have been taken to overcome the hurdle. However, he said, that we need perhaps to step up the pace and to give greater impetus to technological and other innovation to give our economy the necessary boost. Mr. Narayanan said, despite adverse external environment, the fundamental part of our economy has remained strong. Mr. Narayanan said, two decade of steady economic reforms have contributed to the material improvement all around in average income and consumption levels. All these have been achieved under a functioning secular democracy. The Pan IIT Alumni Global conference 2012 started in Kolkata today and will continue till the 9th of this month.

 n Uttar Pradesh, 23 special courts have been set up in 5 different districts and all divisional headquarters for quick disposal of cases related with economic offences and food security and adulteration in food grains and spurious medicines.
Quoting official sources our Allahabad correspondent reports that the state law department has set up special courts at Lucknow, Agra, Varanasi, Bareilly and Meerut district for taking up cases related with economic offences. Similarly special courts have been set up at all 18 divisional headquarters for hearing of cases related with Food and Drug Authority of the state.

 instead demanded a universal public distribution system, which will help in keeping the market prices down.

In a joint memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi, leaders of Left Parties said India produces enough foodgrains to ensure a food security system which covers all sections of the people. They said with the largest numbers of hungry people in the world, the country requires a comprehensive and inclusive food security system. This can only be provided by scrapping the targeted system and replacing it with a universal system.

Aid agencies say Yemen is on the brink of a catastrophic food crisis with almost half the population of the country mal-nourished. 

Seven international agencies have called for the world to focus its attention on the problem rather than the just chaotic security situation and the threat from Al-Qaeda.