Food Security Act implemented throughout country

CURRENT AFFAIRS – NOVEMBER 2016

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Food Security Act implemented throughout country

The Union Government has announced that the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 which envisages supply of subsidized food grains has been implemented across the country. Announcement in this regard was made by Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan after last two remaining states Kerala and Tamil Nadu rolled out the NFSA from November 2016.

Key Facts

With this, now NFSA has been implemented in all States and Union Territories. As a result, 81.34 crore persons will get subsidized wheat at Rs. 2 per kg and rice at Rs. 3 per kg.

At the current coverage, the monthly allocation of food grains to States and UTs under the Act is about 45.5 lakh tones.

The subsidy implication of about Rs. 11,726 crore per month and it is overall about Rs. 1,40,700 crore per year.

Now Union Government will focus on further reforms in the public distribution system (PDS) including end to end computerization in order to check leakages and diversion of food grains.

About National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013

The NFSA aims to provide subsidized food grains to approximately two thirds of the population (75% in rural areas and 50% in urban areas).

It converts into legal entitlements for existing food security programmes of the Central Government. It includes the Midday Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services scheme and the Public Distribution System.

Grains like wheat, rice and coarse grain will be distributed at the subsidized price of 3 Rs. 3, Rs. 2 and Rs. 1.

Pregnant women and lactating mothers and children are entitled to get meals under the prescribed nutrition by MDM and ICDS.

         NFSA 2013 will provide high nutrition food to the children from age group of 6 months to 14 years. Pregnant women and lactating mothers will be entitled to get maternity benefit of not less than Rs. 6,000