Mains Practice Questions

Approach

• Start your answer with a brief introduction of National Food Security Act.
• Discuss the significance of the National Food Security Act.
• Also mention some challenges of National Food Security Act
• Conclude accordingly.

Introduction:

• The National Food Security Act (NFSA) was enacted in 2013 with the objective of providing food security to the most vulnerable sections of society. The Act is seen as a crucial step towards ensuring social justice in India.

Body:

Significance of National Food Security Act

• Coverage:
  • The NFSA seeks to provide highly subsidized food grains to 67% of the population (75% in rural areas and 50% in urban areas).
  • The Act recognizes the Right to Food as a legal entitlement and aims to ensure that no person goes hungry.
• Nutritional Support to women and children:
  • The NFSA has been instrumental in reducing hunger and malnutrition in India. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the percentage of undernourished people in India decreased from 23.8% in 1990-92 to 14.8% in 2015-17.
• Women Empowerment:
  • The Act has also empowered women by making them the head of households for the purpose of receiving food grains under the Public Distribution System.
• Prevent Leakage:
  • The NFSA has been successful in reducing leakages in the Public Distribution System and ensuring that food grains reach the intended beneficiaries.
• Food Security Allowance:
  • Provision for food security allowance to entitled beneficiaries in case of non-supply of entitled foodgrains or meals.

Challenges of National Food Security Act

• Identification of Beneficiaries:
  • The NFSA provides for the identification of beneficiaries through a fair and transparent process, but the implementation has been uneven across states.
  • There are reports of exclusion of eligible households and inclusion of ineligible households.
• Procurement and Distribution:
  • The Act requires the government to procure and distribute food grains to the beneficiaries at subsidized rates.
  • However, there are concerns about the efficiency of the public distribution system (PDS) and leakages in the supply chain.
• Quality of Food Grains:
  • There have been reports of poor-quality grains being distributed, which can lead to health problems for the beneficiaries.
• Financing:
  • The central government provides a significant portion of the funding for the Act, but the states also have to contribute.
  • Some states have faced difficulties in meeting their share of the funding.

Conclusion:

The NFSA has played a crucial role in ensuring social justice in India by providing highly subsidized food grains to the most vulnerable sections of the society. While the Act has been successful in reducing hunger and malnutrition, there is a need to expand its coverage and address the concerns of excluded categories