PMF IAS General Science Book Cover
PMF IAS General Science Book Cover

National Food Security Act (NFSA)

  • Context (TH | IE): GoI has extended the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) (free food grains scheme) under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 for the next five years.

National Food Security Act (NFSA)

GS Social Sector Health National Food Security Act

  • The National Food Security Act of 2013 was enacted with the objective of providing food and nutritional security by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices for people to live a life with dignity.
  • The Act covers up to 75% of the rural population and up to 50% of the urban population for receiving subsidized good grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), thus covering about two-thirds of the population.
  • Under NFSA, the government is obliged to give subsidized food grains every month to the beneficiaries identified by each state government based on the economic status of households.
  • Two categories of beneficiary households:
    1. Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY): AAY households receive 35 kg of food grains monthly.
    2. Priority Households (PHH): Each PHH member gets five kg of food grains monthly, including rice at Rs three/kg, wheat at Rs two/kg, and coarse grain at Rs one/kg.

Coverage under NFSA

  • Highly subsidized foodgrains under PDS
  • The free nutritious meal to pregnant women and lactating mothers and children up to 6 years of age under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme.
  • The free nutritious meal to children in the 6-14 age group under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme.
  • Maternity benefits of Rs. 6000 to Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers.

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY)

  • PM-GKAY was launched in 2020 as a COVID-19 relief measure.
  • Under the PMGKAY, five kg of food grains per person per month are provided free to all beneficiaries covered under the NFSA. This was in addition to the food grains already provided under NFSA.
  • Under the NFSA, the government provides:
    • Five kilograms of food grains per person per month at Rs one/kg for coarse cereals, Rs two/kg for wheat, and Rs three/kg for rice.
    • 35 kg of food grains per month to the families covered under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY).

Merger of PM-GKAY and NFSA

  • In 2022, PMGKAY was merged with NFSA and extended until December 2023.
  • Under this merger, the entire food grains under PM-GKAY and NFSA were made free of cost.

Read in detail about the Public Distribution System.

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