Food Security

Notes

Food security (FAO) exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food. It rests on four pillars: availability, access, utilisation (nutrition and sanitation) and stability.

National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013

A legal entitlement to subsidised foodgrains under the Targeted PDS: up to 75% of the rural and 50% of the urban population (about 81 crore persons).
Priority households: 5 kg per person per month at ₹3 (rice), ₹2 (wheat) and ₹1 (coarse grains). Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households (the poorest): 35 kg per household per month.
Pregnant women and lactating mothers: meals and maternity benefit (not less than ₹6,000); children (6 months to 14 years): free hot meals (PM POSHAN, formerly mid-day meal) and nutrition support.
The eldest woman (18+) is the head of the household for ration cards; grievance redressal mechanisms.
Since January 2024, foodgrains under the NFSA are free for five years (under the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, which began in April 2020 during Covid).

Institutions and tools

Food Corporation of India (FCI, 1965) buys, stores and distributes grain; the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP, 1965); buffer stock norms; the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS); and fair price shops (over five lakh).
One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) for portability; Aadhaar seeding and digitisation of ration cards; fortified rice supply.
The Shanta Kumar Committee (2015) recommended restructuring the FCI and cash transfers.

Nutrition: POSHAN Abhiyaan (2018). India ranks around 105 of 127 on the Global Hunger Index 2024 ("serious"); NFHS-5 shows stunting of about 35% and high anaemia among women.

Right to food: in PUCL v Union of India (2001), the Supreme Court treated the right to food as part of Art. 21 and ordered the mid-day meal scheme.

Challenges: leakages and diversion in the PDS, storage losses, the focus on wheat and rice rather than nutrition, the large food subsidy, and hidden hunger (micronutrient deficiency).

Key Points

Food security: availability, access, utilisation, stability.
NFSA 2013: 75% rural and 50% urban; 5 kg per person per month; AAY gets 35 kg per household.
FCI and CACP were set up in 1965; PMGKAY gives free grains.
Right to food: PUCL (2001) under Art. 21.
Challenges: leakages, malnutrition.

MCQs

Q1. Under the NFSA 2013, priority households get how many kg of foodgrains per person per month? (a) 3 kg (b) 5 kg (c) 7 kg (d) 10 kg Ans: (b).

Q2. The Antyodaya Anna Yojana provides foodgrains of how much per household per month? (a) 25 kg (b) 35 kg (c) 50 kg (d) 70 kg Ans: (b).