National Food Security Act

Scope for adding 7.9 million more beneficiaries under food law: Govt in RS

States can add 79 lakh more beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act that provides legal entitlement of foodgrains, the Centre said on Tuesday. The National Food Security Act (NFSA), which was passed by the Parliament in 2013, provides for coverage of up to 75 per cent of rural population and up to 50 per cent of urban population. This covers about two-thirds of the total population of the country, which comes to 81.35 crore based on Census 2011, the government said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha. "At present, against the intended coverage of 81.35 crore, the States/UTs have identified only 80.56 crore persons. Still, there is a scope of identification of 0.79 crore more beneficiaries under the NFSA," said Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. She informed that Section 9 of the Act provides that the total number of persons to be covered in rural and urban areas of the State should be calculated on the basi

India's PDS expansion prevents 1.8 million children from being stunted

A study has found India's expanded PDS under NFSA has prevented 1.8 million children from being stunted, improved dietary diversity, and boosted wages, making it a crucial safety net for food security

Over-reliance on imports hampers India's edible oil self-sufficiency plan

Dependence on import for meeting the domestic requirements of this mass-consumed kitchen staple has continued to remain untenably high

India's PDS faces leakages, reforms needed for efficient distribution

Besides this annual cost, which will only increase with increasing MSPs and the overall carrying cost, it is well established that the programme is insufficient to fulfil citizens' nutritional needs

Fssai calls quick commerce firms for talks on food safety issues on Tuesday

This comes at a time when concerns have been raised about food safety standards violations by e-commerce and quick commerce platforms for packaged food products

Cabinet approves infusion of Rs 10,700 crore equity in FCI in FY25

The decision is aimed at enhancing the operational capabilities of FCI in fulfilling its mandate effectively

SC tells states, UTs to give ration cards to nearly 80 mn migrant workers

States and UTs are required to file a compliance affidavit in this regard. The case will be heard again in two months

A new poverty conundrum

If India's poverty level has declined significantly, why should free food be available to more than half its population?

Food security in India: Centre's PMGKAY and its extension explained

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 4 announced the extension of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana scheme for another five years

No free lunches

The free food scheme is driven by electoral considerations, but its long-term fiscal risks outweigh the short-term gains

Centre makes PDS free for 810 mn people; annual outlay likely at Rs 2 trn

Govt merges certain benefits of PMGKAY into PDS

Wheat acreage up nearly 10% as rabi sowing nears halfway, shows data

Usually wheat is sown in around 30.5 million hectares of which so far around 15.28 million is already sown

Wheat price rise normal; have enough stocks to meet demand: Govt

According to FCI, the wheat stock in Central pool on April 1 next year is expected to be 11.3 million tonnes, higher than the buffer requirement of 7.5 million tonnes

India opposes group consultation on food subsidies programme at WTO

The members had expressed concern with India's "lack of full transparency" in taking recourse to the Bali Decision as well as in replies to certain questions raised in the Agri Committee

FCI foodgrains stock down by 37% from last year; yet higher than buffer

Centre's foodgrains stock managed by the Food Corporation of India remains 66% higher than the buffer norm

Centre extends free food grain scheme till Dec at a cost of Rs 45k cr

Move to cost the exchequer additional Rs 44,762 crore

Odisha top among states on Food Act implementation; UP in second place

Goa and Chhattisgarh at the bottom of the pile on implementation of National Food Security Act

UP, Gujarat ask Centre to restore wheat quota under two food schemes

States raise matter in central government's meeting on food security, say beneficiaries complaining

'One Nation, One Ration Card' programme implemented across India

The implementation of ONORC was initiated in August 2019

Centre releases Rs 2.94 trn to FCI, states as food subsidy last fiscal

The Centre has released Rs 2,94,718 crore towards food subsidy during the last fiscal to Food Corporation of India (FCI) and states, which is slightly higher than the revised budget estimates. During the financial year 2021-22, the Department of Food & Public Distribution released Rs 2,94,718 crore towards food subsidy, under both DCP (decentralised procurement) and non-DCP operations put together, against the revised Estimates of Rs 2,92,419.11 crore. "This release of food subsidy is about 140% of the food subsidy released during 2020-21 and about 267 per cent of the food subsidy released during 2019-20," an official statement said. The subsidy has been released for procurement operations under MSP (minimum support price) and seamless distribution of foodgrains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and National Food Security Act 2013 (NFSA). In the last fiscal, the department spent 99.83 per cent of its expenditure by incurring Rs 3,04,361 crores against net .