The National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA), which came into force w.e.f. 5th July, 2013 seeks to provide for food and nutritional security in human life cycle approach, by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a life with dignity. NFSA provides for coverage of upto 75% of the rural population and upto 50% of the urban population at the all India level thus covering about two-third of the population, for receiving highly subsidized foodgrains under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). Under the Act, foodgrains are allocated @ 5kg per person per month for priority households and @ 35kg per family per month for Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households at highly subsidized prices of Re.1/-, Rs.2/- and Rs.3/- per kg for coarse grains, wheat and rice respectively.

As of 1st November, 2016 all the 36 States/UTs have implemented NFSA and are being allocated foodgrains as per their entitlement under NFSA.

In order to eliminate the problem of hunger/starvation/malnutrition and to provide food security to the vulnerable population, the Government has also been providing food-grains at highly subsidized prices to the targeted population through State Governments/Union Territory Administrations under Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) as well besides allocation under NFSA, such as Mid-Day Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme, Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls, Annapurna Scheme etc.

The Act also has a special focus on nutritional support to women and children. Pregnant women and lactating mothers are entitled to receive meals as per nutritional norms. Children upto 14 years of age are also entitled to nutritious meals or take home rations as per the prescribed nutritional standards. In case of non supply of entitled foodgrains or meals, the beneficiaries receive food security allowance.

During the year 2015-16, the Govt. of India has allocated 611.10 lakh tons of foodgrains under TPDS, NFSA and OWS. During the year 2016-17, the Govt. of India has allocated 628.91 lakh tons of foodgrains under TPDS, NFSA and OWS.

No State Government/Union Territory Administration has reported any incident of death due to starvation so far.

This information was given by Shri C.R. Chaudhary, the Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
 

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BCK/AK