08 Apr

National Food Security Act, 2013

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Contents

• Introduction
• Salient Features of the Act
• How has it contributed to reducing Hunger
• Steps being taken
• Way Forward

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Introduction:

• The NFSA, 2013 seeks to provide for food and nutritional security in human lifecycle approach, by ensuring adequate quantity and quality of food at affordable prices to people to live a life with dignity and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto.

Salient Features of the Act are:

• It gives legal entitlement to 75% rural and 50% of the urban population (which come to 2/3rd of country’s population) for subsidized grains under TPDS.
• It moves from ‘household food entitlement’ to ‘individual food entitlement’. Every individual is entitled to 5 kg of rice, wheat, or coarse cereals a month at Rs 3, Rs 2 and Rs 1 per kg. The beneficiary is identified by the state government based on the parameters decided by centre.
• The entitlement for Antyodaya Anna Yojna (AAY) will remain at Rs 35 kg per household.
• For pregnant and lactating mothers, the act provides for free meal at the local anganwadi (during pregnancy and upto six months after child birth) as well as maternity benefits of Rs 6,000 in instalments.
• For Children:
  • Below 6 months: ‘Exclusive breast feeding shall be promoted)
  • Six months to six years: The age guarantees an age appropriate meal, free of charge, through the local anganwadis.
  • Six years to 14 years: One free mid-day meal, shall be provided everyday (except on school holidays) in all school run by local bodies, government and government aided schools, upto Class VIII.
• The act also provides for the Creation of State Food Commissions which will monitor and evaluate the implementation of the act, give advice to state governments and will enquire into violations of entitlement.
• Food Security Allowance in case of non-supply of the entitled quantities of foodgrains or meals to entitled persons under the act.
• Schedule 3 of the act also lists various provisions for advancing food security, under three broad categories:
  • Revitalization of Agriculture; reforming procurement, storage and movement; other provisions like drinking water, sanitation, health care, adequate pensions for senior citizens, persons with disability and single women

Progress:

• NFSA has been implemented in all 36 states/Uts covering more than 80 crore persons.
• Direct Benefit Transfer: In Chandigarh, Puducherry, and Urban areas of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, the act is being implemented in the cash transfer mode.

How has it contributed to reducing Hunger:

• The act has led to increases food availability for weaker section. It is visible in increased government food subsidy burden.
• By continuing with special provisions AAY, the act ensures that the most vulnerable household get special support.
• By taking a lifecycle approach, it has ensured the right from the time women get pregnant to the death of a person, if the person is vulnerable, she would get food security support.
• With improved used of technology, like Aadhar based authentication, leakage has reduced.
• One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) will also ensure that migrants are able to enjoy the benefits of NFSA.

Challenges:

• Fiscal Burden: Since the introduction of PMGKAY, the subsidy burden on food for government has remained above Rs 2 lakh crores.
• Leakages and Siphoning: Leakages are still unacceptably high in states where PDS reforms are slow.

Steps being taken:

• • Doorstep delivery, computerization, effective grievance redressal mechanism etc.
• The leakage trend has been declining from 54% in 2004-05 to 44% in 2007-08 to 35% in
  2011-12. It is estimated to have gone down further.
• Identification of Beneficiaries: This is a serious issue as many very vulnerable sections are not enjoying the benefits of NFSA.
• Infrastructural issues like lack of adequate storage, poor transportation infrastructure. This
  leads to delay, spoilage of food grains, and inefficient distribution.
• Aadhar Related Issues: Use of Aadhar-based authentication for targeting beneficiaries has its own set of challenges. This includes authentication failures, discrepancy in Aadhar data etc.
• Social and Cultural Factors: Factors like caste-based discrimination, low literacy rates etc can
  impact the implementation of NFSA.

Way Forward:

• Reducing Fiscal Burden: TPDS targeting can be made more focused and only the most vulnerable ones should be provided the NFSA benefits. Shanta Kumar committee had also recommended that the coverage should reduce from 67% of the population to 40%.
• Better Identification: Instead of trying to identify the poor, it would be better to adopt an ‘exclusion approach’ under which the rich are kept out and all the rest are covered.
  • Chhattisgarh Food Security Act (CFSA) which proposes four criteria – excluding income tax payees, households owning a pucca house in urban areas that has a carpet area of more than 4 hectares of irrigated land or more than 8 hectares of non-irrigated land.
• Combating Leakages:
  • Automate procedures; impose strict penalties for corrupt practices etc.
• Improving Infrastructure:
  • Attract private investment in agri-infrastructure, including storage facilities.
  • Promote decentralized procurement.
  • Encourage local farmers and cooperative.
• Address Aadhar Issues:
  • Achieve universal Aadhar coverage by a focused approach on most vulnerable groups.
  • For the time being establish alternative authentication mechanism.
  • Ensure robust data security measures to protect personal information.
• Addressing Social and Cultural Factors: Run a sensitization campaign to raise awareness about the rights and entitlements of marginalized communities.

Conclusion:

• The NFSA is an important step in meeting the problem of hunger and malnutrition. By implementing the above suggested improvements, and by fostering collaborative efforts among government agencies, Civil Society Organization, and local communities, it is possible to overcome the challenges and strengthen the implementation of NFSA.

Past Year Questions:

• What are the salient features of the National Food Security Act, 2013? How has the Food
  Security Bill helped in eliminating hunger and malnutrition in India [Mains 2021, 15 marks, 250 words]
• Food Security Bill is expected to eliminate hunger and malnutrition in India. Critically discuss various apprehension in its effective implementation along with concerns that it has generated at WTO [Mains 2013, 12.5 marks, 200 words]