• UGI USER
  • Jan 05, 2023
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National Food Security Act (NFSA)

Context: After Initial hesitation, Telangana government has decided to join the free rice scheme of the Centre under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

What is National Food Security Act 2013?

  • The National Food Security Act 2013 which is also called Right to Food Act, is an Indian Actof Parliament which aims to provide subsidized food grains to approximately two thirds of the country’s 1.3 billion people.
  • The act provides subsidised food grains to 75% of India’s rural population and 50% of its urban population.
  • NFSA 2013 includes almost two-thirds or approximately 67% of the Indian population.

Main Provisions under the National Food Security Act 2013

  • The act provide the eligible persons 5 Kgs of foodgrains per person per monthat subsidised prices of 3/2/1 per Kg for rice/wheat/coarse grains.
  • According to the NFS Act 2013, the centre is in charge of allocating and transporting food grains to designated depots in the states and UTs.
  • The centre is also required to give central assistance to states/UTs for the distribution of food grains from authorised FCI godowns to the Fair Price Shops’ doorsteps.
  • States and union territories identify eligible households, issue ration cards, distribute foodgrain entitlements through fair price shops,
  • States also issue licences to Fair Price Shop(FPS) dealers, and monitor them and an effective grievance redress mechanism and necessary strengthening of the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
  • The NFS Act (2013) also includes provisions for reforms in the Targeted Public Distribution System that include cash transfers for the provisioning of food entitlements.
  • Direct Benefit Transfer provisions were first started in the union territories of Chandigarh and Puducherry. It entails the cash equivalent of the subsidy being transferred directly into the bank accounts of eligible households

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) 

  • Under this welfare scheme, 5 kg of food grain per person per month is provided free of cost for all the beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) including those covered under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
  • PM-GKAY was started during difficult time of COVID-19 crisis and

The scheme has  provided food security to the poor, needy and the vulnerable households/beneficiaries so that they do not suffer on account of non-availability of adequate food grains