NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY BILL

JASMINE JHA
PRABHJOTE GILL
AASHLESHA PARMAR
SAAKSHI VERMA
EKANKI SHARMA

DEFINITION

The state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of

affordable nutritious food.
Coined in 1974 - World Food Conference
- Emphasis on state level security.
1996 - World Food Summit
- Focus shifted to individuals.

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NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY BILL (2011)

The National Advisory Council (NAC) submitted its proposals on Draft

National Food Security Bill in Jan-Feb 2011.
The National Food Security Act (NFSA) is defined as, public
provisioning of food and related measures, to enable assured
economic and social access to adequate food with dignity, for all
persons in the country, at all times, in pursuance of their
fundamental rights to be free from hunger, malnutrition and other
deprivations associate with the lack of food and related matters.

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NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY BILL (2011)

The NAC recommended the shifting from household food entitlements to

individual food entitlements.
Arguments in favour:
- Per capital entitlements are fairer
- Per capita entitlements would do away with the need for a precise
definition and identification of households

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NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY BILL (2011)

Introduced in the Lok Sabha on Dec. 22, 2011.

Coverage of 75% of the rural population and 50% of urban population
Subsidised food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS)
Submitted to Parliamentary Standing Committee on Food, Consumer Affairs
and Public Distribution for examination

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NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY BILL (2013)

To provide for food and nutritional security in human life cycle approach, by
ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to
people to live a life with dignity and for matters connected therewith or
incidental thereto.
Signed into law on September 12, 2013
Includes all of India

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FEATURES OF NSFA
3/4 of rural population and 1/2 of urban population for subsidised grains under
TPDS.
Entitlements to 5 kgs of rice, wheat and coarse cereals a month at Rs.3, Rs.2
and Rs.1 per kg.
The price for providing food grains will be initially valid for 3 years from the
date of commencement of the Act.
Entitlement under the Act has been reduced from 7 kgs to 5 kgs, but no
change in entitlement for 3.42 crore of poorest of poor families under the
Antyodaya Anna Yojana which remains at 35kg per household per month.

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FEATURES OF NSFA
State Governments shall identify the eligible households under the Act within
a period not exceeding 365 days, after the commencement of the Act.
Below 6 months of age: exclusive breastfeeding shall be promoted.
Age 6months 6 years: age appropriate meal, free of charge, through the local
anganwadi.
Age 6-14 years: one free mid-day meal shall be provided every day in all
schools run by local bodies, government and government aided schools up to
Class VIII.

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FEATURES OF NSFA
Every pregnant and lactating mother is entitled to a free meal at the local
anganwadi as well as maternity benefits of Rs.6000 in installments.
Creation of State Food Commissions.
In case of non-supply of the entitled quantities of food grains or meals to
entitled persons under the Act, such persons shall be entitled to receive food
security allowance from the concerned State government.
Ration cards would be issued to the eldest female members (18 years and
above) of the household.

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ADVANTAGES OF NSFA
Form of investment in human capital (Jean Dreze)
Right to food becomes legal
Helps with women empowerment, malnutrition etc.
Increase in the purchasing power of the poor
Uses existing machinery like PDS and aganwadis.

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DISADVANTAGES OF NSFA
Cost of Implementation
1. The annual food subsidy will go up to Rs.1.3 lakh crores (1.3% of GDP)
2. Rs.85,000 crores food subsidy (2012-13)
3. Incremental cost will be more than just Rs.45,000 crores
- Setting up and running of Food Commissions and District Grievance
Redressal Offices
- Expenditures on inter-state transportation of food grains
- Costs to be incurred on identifying beneficiaries

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DISADVANTAGES OF NSFA
Problems in Procurement
- Production has to go up by 25 million tonnes to meet NFSA needs assuming
procurement must be maintained at 30% production of wheat and rice
- Objections
Current procurement is already more than 30% of production
Assumes a requirement of 75 million tonnes, where as only 62 million
tonnes is required by the NFSA
Projected increase in agricultural production is not taken into account
Only production of wheat and rice is considered, not coarse cereals.

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DISADVANTAGES OF NSFA
Risk of Leakages
- 54% 2004-05
- 44% 2007-08
- 35% 2011-12
Still high for states where PDS reforms are being undertaken.
Identification of Beneficiaries
Dipa Sinha: Instead of trying to identify the poor, it would be better to
adopt an exclusion approach

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DISADVANTAGES OF NSFA
NFSA imposes a highly centralized model discouraging customized state level
initiatives
- Existing schemes pursued by states with suffer considerably
- Section 40
Centralized Procurement has been found to be unsustainable
Consolidation of the existing ineffective Food Security Complex
Distribution of obligations between center and state

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CONCLUSION
The main importance of the Act is that it brings the right to food within the
framework of legally mandated entitlements.
A tool for people to demand the State's accountability for hunger
NFSA will raise the demand for other goods and give the sluggish economy a
much needed boost (Arun Kumar)

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Thank you.

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