National Food Security Act, 2013 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Introduction

The National Food Security Act, 2013 was notified by the Indian Government on September 10, 2013, after it was passed by the Parliament. Its aim is to ensure food and nutritional security for people throughout their life cycle by providing access to quality food at reasonable prices, thereby enabling them to lead a dignified life. Under the Act, subsidized food grains will be made available to people through the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), with coverage of up to 75% of the rural population and up to 50% of the urban population, benefiting around two-thirds of the country's population.

Key features of it:

• The National Food Security Act, 2013 was notified on September 10, 2013, with the aim of providing food and nutritional security to people throughout their life cycle. It ensures access to adequate and quality food at affordable prices so that people can lead 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 food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), which means it covers about two-thirds of the population.
• Under this Act, eligible persons are entitled to receive 5 Kgs of food grains per person per month at subsidized prices of Rs. 3/2/1 per Kg for rice/wheat/coarse grains. The poorest households, covered under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), will continue to receive 35 Kgs of food grains per household per month. The Act also emphasizes the nutritional support to women and children. It provides meals to pregnant women and lactating mothers during pregnancy and six months after childbirth, and such women will also receive a maternity benefit of not less than Rs. 6,000. Children up to 14 years of age will be entitled to nutritious meals as per the prescribed nutritional standards.
• If the entitled food grains or meals are not supplied, the beneficiaries will receive food security allowance. The Act also includes provisions for setting up a grievance redressal mechanism at the district and state levels. Separate provisions are made in the Act for ensuring transparency and accountability.

Drawbacks

• Although ONORC improves the portability of the ration card, reduces targeting errors, and prevents leakage or diversion, access to food grains should be extended and targeting errors should be minimized to create an inclusive food safety net. 
• To evaluate the effectiveness of ONORC, the following dimensions should be considered: awareness and education on ONORC portability, the efficiency of the grievance redressal system and social audit, and supply chain and PDS reforms.

Methods to enhance efficiency:

• The use of information technology from the point of food grain procurement to distribution can boost the efficiency of the entire process while ensuring transparency and reducing corruption. Integration between the Food Corporation of India and states can ensure the seamless flow of information online, providing exact information on procurement, storage, and distribution of food grains.
• Additionally, information on food grain quality, storage conditions, and distribution to beneficiaries should be provided. The adoption of One Nation One Ration Card (RC) will allow beneficiaries, particularly migrants, to access the PDS from any PDS shop of their choice, providing more freedom to beneficiaries and reducing their reliance on shop owners and corrupt practices. The Integrated Management of PDS (IMPDS) should be extended to all states.

Conclusion

• The principle of the right to food is a widely recognized concept in international human rights law. It requires states to ensure that their citizens have access to adequate food and security, which includes respecting, protecting, and fulfilling this right.
• India, as a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, is bound by the obligation to guarantee its citizens the right to adequate food and freedom from hunger.
• To ensure sustainable food security, India needs to implement a policy that addresses various issues such as inequality, food diversity, indigenous rights, and environmental justice.