Page 2 - National Food Security Act

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 .

Second Covid wave, global prices could derail Centre's FY22 subsidy maths

The Centre's plan to start FY22 on a clean slate seems to have gone for a toss within just six months after it cleared the food subsidy backlog and paid its pending liabilities to NSSF

Centre to transfer Mid-day meal cooking cost directly to students' accounts

The one-time Covid relief transfer will cost Rs 1,200 crore; activists say amount too meagre

Centre gears up to distribute free foodgrains to poor under PMGKAY from May

The Centre on Saturday said it is gearing up for monthly distribution of additional 5 kg of foodgrains for free to 800 million PDS beneficiaries from May 1

Farm solutions

States will be forced to pay attention to farmer needs

Stunted progress

Increasing malnutrition among children is worrying

After hiking fertiliser, Centre may now review food subsidy outlay

Of the Rs 1.15 trillion budgeted as food subsidy for the fiscal year, Rs 1.05 trillion was spent by October

Hungry for nutrition

India has to revamp its food security programmes

Govt fails to update Food Act list, millions of migrants left in cold

Centre says 6.7 million new ration card holders added after lockdown for free grain

Those without ration card find it hard to access Centre's free grain scheme

Just one in four non-ration card holders in rural India got any kind of food support from the government, a recent survey showed

No discrimination under Food Security Act in Bihar: Ram Vilas Paswan

Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Thursday said there has been "no discrimination or wrong identification" of beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in Bihar

Centre permits conversion of surplus rice to ethanol for hand sanitisers

Move will lead to use of part of a stockpile of 30.57 million tonnes, which is almost 126% more than the buffer stock and strategic requirement norms

Imperfect law

Changes in Food Security Act imperative

Budget 2020: Borrowings by FCI will rise 24% to Rs 1.36 trillion

This includes loans from NSSF at Rs 1.36 trillion

Is India's cheap food programme making the poor spend less on food?

The implementation of National Food Security Act has halved the monthly food grain expenses of 75 per cent of India's rural population

UN endorses India's steps to address hunger, malnutrition to achieve SGD

In 2015, India, along with other countries, signed the declaration on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, comprising 17 Sustainable Development Goals

What hunger really means: It makes life unpredictable

Poor employment opportunities, low returns from farming and generally low levels of literacy are some of the many reasons why poverty and hunger are constant companions of many in rural India

A case for a diversified food basket

There is a need to make the National Food Security Act more effective to meet the nutritional needs of the beneficiaries

NFSA now covers entire country: Paswan

Under NFSA, 75% of the population in rural areas and 50% in urban areas are to be provided rice at Rs 3 per kg, wheat at Rs 2 per kg

Enforce NFSA or pay price for foodgrain, Centre warns Kerala, Tamil Nadu

Urges states to plug lacunae in public distribution system