Context
- The Union Food and Public Distribution Department has released a draft amendment to the National Food Security Act (NFSA), proposing critical changes to the foodgrain distribution structure for Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) beneficiaries. The draft is currently open for public consultation, following which a final version will be introduced in Parliament.
What are the Proposed Amendments?
The draft amendment proposes a fundamental shift in Section 3 of the NFSA, 2013, altering how foodgrains are allocated to India’s poorest households.
- Per-Capita Entitlement: It replaces the existing fixed household quota with a per-person entitlement of 7 kg of free food grains per month.
- Maximum Ceiling: The total allocation remains strictly capped at a maximum of 35 kg per household, regardless of whether the family size exceeds five members.
- Nutritional Alignment: The 7 kg quota is designed to align more closely with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines, which recommend approximately 7.5 kg of cereals per adult per month.
Rationale Behind the Amendment
- Correcting Distribution Inequities: The current flat-quota system causes smaller AAY households to receive a disproportionately high per-capita share, while members of larger households receive a share that often falls below the 5 kg standard entitlement of regular Priority Households.
- Nutritional Alignment: The proposed 7 kg per-capita quota is designed to align with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines, which recommend approximately 7.5 kg of cereals per adult per month.
About National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013
- Legal Framework: The NFSA fundamentally shifted food security in India from a welfare-based scheme to a legally enforceable rights-based entitlement.
- Population Coverage: It legally mandates coverage for 75% of the rural and 50% of the urban population (roughly two-thirds of India’s population, calculated strictly as per Census 2011 data).
- Beneficiary Classification:
- Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY): The category encompassing the “poorest of the poor” households.
- Priority Households (PHH): The remaining eligible households, which are entitled to 5 kg of food grains per person per month.
- Subsidized Pricing: Eligible beneficiaries receive food grains at highly subsidized rates (Central Issue Price): Rice at ₹3/kg, Wheat at ₹2/kg, and Coarse grains at ₹1/kg.
- Maternity and Nutritional Benefits: The Act adopts a life-cycle approach to nutrition:
- It mandates a maternity benefit of at least ₹6,000 for pregnant and lactating women.
- It guarantees free nutritional meals for children through Anganwadi Centres (ICDS) and the PM POSHAN (Mid-Day Meal) Scheme.
With respect to the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 and its proposed amendments, consider the following statements:
I. The proposed amendment seeks to replace the fixed household quota for Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) beneficiaries with a per-person allocation of 7 kg, removing the maximum ceiling of 35 kg per household.
II. The NFSA structurally shifted food security to a rights-based entitlement, legally mandating coverage for 75% of the rural and 50% of the urban population based on Census 2011 data.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) I only
(b) II only
(c) Both I and II
(d) Neither I nor II
Answer: B
Explanation:
Statement I is incorrect: While the draft amendment replaces the flat household quota with a per-person entitlement of 7 kg, it strictly retains the maximum ceiling of 35 kg per household. Therefore, an AAY family with more than five members will not receive additional foodgrains beyond this limit.
Statement II is correct: The NFSA fundamentally shifted India's food security framework from a welfare-based scheme to a legally enforceable rights-based entitlement, calculating its coverage of 75% of the rural and 50% of the urban population strictly using data from Census 2011.