Roadmap for Answer Writing
1. Introduction
- Context of Food Security in India: Briefly introduce the issue of food security and malnutrition in India, emphasizing the need for a legislative approach.
- Fact: India has one of the highest numbers of people facing hunger globally. (Source: FAO)
- Introduction of NFSA: Present the National Food Security Act, 2013, as a landmark legislation aimed at addressing these issues.
2. Body
A. Salient Features of the National Food Security Act, 2013
- Coverage and Entitlement
- Fact: The Act covers up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
- Entitlement: Each person is entitled to 5 kg of food grains per month; Antyodaya households receive 35 kg per household per month.
- Source: Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
- Identification of Households
- Process: States and Union Territories are responsible for identifying eligible households for the program.
- Women Empowerment
- Policy: The eldest woman (aged 18 years or above) in a household is deemed the head for issuing ration cards.
- Maternity Benefits
- Fact: Pregnant women and lactating mothers are entitled to maternity benefits of at least ₹6,000.
- Source: Ministry of Women and Child Development.
- Nutritional Support
- Fact: PWLM and children aged 6 months to 14 years are entitled to meals as per nutritional norms under ICDS and Mid-Day Meal schemes.
- Source: Ministry of Women and Child Development.
- Grievance Redressal Mechanism
- Feature: Establishes a mechanism for grievance redressal at district and state levels.
- Transparency and Accountability
- Provisions: Includes social audits, vigilance committees, and disclosure of PDS records.
- Food Security Allowance
- Fact: Beneficiaries are entitled to an allowance if entitled food grains or meals are not supplied.
B. Impact of NFSA on Hunger and Malnutrition
- Reduction in Undernourishment
- Fact: The number of undernourished people in India declined by 60 million between 2006 and 2019. (Source: UN Report)
- FAO Report: Undernourishment fell from 22% to 15% during this period. (Source: FAO)
- Improved Access to Food Grains
- Effect: Enhanced food security has improved hunger outcomes among the poor and underprivileged.
- Increased Resilience
- Fact: The coverage of two-thirds of the population has increased resilience against income shocks, ensuring access to food grains.
- Decrease in Child Stunting
- Fact: Stunting in children under five years decreased from 38% in NFHS-4 to 35% in NFHS-5.
- Source: National Family Health Survey (NFHS).
- Maternity Support
- Impact: Monetary compensation has helped mitigate wage loss during pregnancy, improving dietary options for PWLM.
- Breastfeeding Awareness
- Fact: Exclusive breastfeeding rates increased from 11.2 million in 2012 to 13.9 million in 2019 due to awareness campaigns. (Source: Ministry of Women and Child Development)
3. Conclusion
- Summary of NFSA’s Impact: Recap the significant role of the NFSA in alleviating hunger and malnutrition.
- Need for Continued Efforts: Emphasize that while the NFSA has made strides, challenges remain, and a shift towards nutritional security is necessary. Recommendations from committees like Shanta Kumar should be implemented for effective execution.
Additional Notes:
- Use clear headings and bullet points for better readability.
- Ensure all claims are supported with relevant facts and sources for credibility.
- Maintain a balanced tone throughout the answer.
This roadmap will help structure your answer comprehensively while incorporating relevant facts and examples.
The National Food Security Act, 2013 aims to provide subsidized food grains to approximately two-third of the country’s population. The enactment of this landmark legislation, brought a paradigm shift in approach to food security, from welfare to rights-based approach. The salient features of the act are as:
Role of NFSA in eliminating hunger and malnutrition:
However, there is still a long way for India to reach nutritional sufficiency as:
The food bill has revolutionized the access to food grains; however, the need is to move towards nutritional security and not just food security. Further the structural bottlenecks in the implementation food bill should be corrected by leverage of technology.
Salient Features of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013
Coverage and Entitlement: The NFSA aims to provide food security to up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population. The Act entitles 5 kg of food grains per person per month at highly subsidized rates, i.e., Rs. 3 for rice, Rs. 2 for wheat, and Rs. 1 for coarse cereals.
Nutritional Support: The Act mandates the provision of nutritious meals to pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children under six years of age. Pregnant and lactating women are entitled to a maternity benefit of Rs. 6,000 and children receive nutritious mid-day meals in schools.
Identification of Beneficiaries: The Act requires states to establish a transparent and accountable system for identifying beneficiaries, particularly through the creation of a National Food Security Portal.
Grievance Redressal Mechanism: The NFSA includes provisions for setting up grievance redressal mechanisms to address the issues of beneficiaries, including the creation of State Food Commissions and District Grievance Redressal Officers.
Legal Entitlement: The Act provides a legal right to food, ensuring that beneficiaries can claim their entitlements through legal means.
Impact on Hunger and Malnutrition
Improved Food Access: The NFSA has significantly improved food accessibility for millions of people. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Act’s provisions ensured that essential food grains reached vulnerable populations through free distribution schemes.
Nutritional Support and Health Outcomes: Programs under the NFSA have contributed to better health outcomes among children. For instance, the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program, bolstered by the NFSA, has seen an increase in the number of children receiving adequate nutrition, thus contributing to reduced malnutrition rates.
State-Level Initiatives: Several states have successfully implemented the Act’s provisions. For example, Tamil Nadu’s public distribution system has been praised for its efficiency and reach, serving as a model for other states in combating food insecurity.
Challenges and Improvements: Despite progress, challenges such as leakage, corruption, and inefficiencies persist. Recent efforts have focused on digitization and streamlining the distribution process to address these issues and improve the effectiveness of the NFSA.
Overall, the NFSA has played a crucial role in addressing hunger and malnutrition in India, though continued efforts and reforms are necessary to enhance its impact and reach.
Model Answer
Introduction
The National Food Security Act (NFSA), enacted in 2013, aims to provide subsidized food grains to approximately two-thirds of India’s population. This landmark legislation marked a significant shift in India’s approach to food security, transitioning from a welfare-based model to a rights-based framework.
Salient Features of the NFSA
Impact on Hunger and Malnutrition
The NFSA has significantly contributed to reducing hunger and malnutrition in India. According to a UN report, the number of undernourished people in India decreased by 60 million between 2006 and 2019. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported that undernourishment fell from 22% to 15% during this period. The wide coverage of the Act has enhanced food security among the poor, increasing their resilience against income shocks. Additionally, stunting in children under five years of age has declined from 38% in NFHS-4 to 35% in NFHS-5. The monetary compensation provided to PWLM has improved access to healthier food options, and awareness initiatives have increased exclusive breastfeeding rates among infants from 11.2 million in 2012 to 13.9 million in 2019.
Conclusion
While the NFSA has been a game changer in addressing food security, challenges remain, including high levels of hunger and anemia among women. Moving towards nutritional security is essential, and recommendations from various committees must be implemented for effective execution of the NFSA.
Salient Features of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013
Coverage and Entitlement: The NFSA aims to provide food security to up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population. The Act entitles 5 kg of food grains per person per month at highly subsidized rates, i.e., Rs. 3 for rice, Rs. 2 for wheat, and Rs. 1 for coarse cereals.
Nutritional Support: The Act mandates the provision of nutritious meals to pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children under six years of age. Pregnant and lactating women are entitled to a maternity benefit of Rs. 6,000 and children receive nutritious mid-day meals in schools.
Identification of Beneficiaries: The Act requires states to establish a transparent and accountable system for identifying beneficiaries, particularly through the creation of a National Food Security Portal.
Grievance Redressal Mechanism: The NFSA includes provisions for setting up grievance redressal mechanisms to address the issues of beneficiaries, including the creation of State Food Commissions and District Grievance Redressal Officers.
Legal Entitlement: The Act provides a legal right to food, ensuring that beneficiaries can claim their entitlements through legal means.
Impact on Hunger and Malnutrition
Improved Food Access: The NFSA has significantly improved food accessibility for millions of people. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Act’s provisions ensured that essential food grains reached vulnerable populations through free distribution schemes.
Nutritional Support and Health Outcomes: Programs under the NFSA have contributed to better health outcomes among children. For instance, the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program, bolstered by the NFSA, has seen an increase in the number of children receiving adequate nutrition, thus contributing to reduced malnutrition rates.
State-Level Initiatives: Several states have successfully implemented the Act’s provisions. For example, Tamil Nadu’s public distribution system has been praised for its efficiency and reach, serving as a model for other states in combating food insecurity.
Challenges and Improvements: Despite progress, challenges such as leakage, corruption, and inefficiencies persist. Recent efforts have focused on digitization and streamlining the distribution process to address these issues and improve the effectiveness of the NFSA.
Overall, the NFSA has played a crucial role in addressing hunger and malnutrition in India, though continued efforts and reforms are necessary to enhance its impact and reach.