National Food Security Act (NFSA-13)
The NFSA 2013 has been in operation in the State of Arunachal Pradesh for the past 5(five) Years. The Chairman and Members of State Food Commission and District Grievances Redressal Officers are quasi-judicial functionaries under the NFSA 2013 with distinctive powers and duties and they constitute the cutting edge of this “Practical Regime of Food Security”, as envisaged in the National Food Security Act. Together, they create an effective mechanism for weeding out corruption and disposal of complaints received from the people of Arunachal Pradesh.
Salient Features of the National Food Security Act, 2013
• Objective :
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.
• Eligibility, Coverage and Identification of Households :
The Act defines ‘eligible households’ under two categories i) households covered under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY); and (ii) households covered as the priority households under the Targeted Public Distribution System(TPDS). The percentage coverage of population in rural and urban areas belonging to eligible households under the TPDS is to be determined by the Central Government on the basis of the population estimates as per the latest census figures. The entitlements of the persons belonging to the eligible households at subsidized prices shall extend up to 75% of the rural population and up to 50% of the urban population. As per the provision of the Act, the State Government, within the number of persons determined for the rural and urban areas, is to identify the eligible households, i.e., the households to be covered under the AAY and the remaining households as priority households to be covered under the TPDS. Besides, the State Government is to frame guidelines and update the list of eligible households, within the number of persons determined.
• Food Entitlements :
Each priority households shall be entitled to 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month from the State Government under the TPDS. The households covered under the AAY shall be entitled to 35 kg. offoodgrains per household per month at the subsidized price not exceeding Rupees 3,2 and 1 per kg. for rice, wheat and coarse grains respectively, for a period of three years from the date of commencement of the Act and thereafter, at such price as fixed by the Central Government from time to time not exceeding the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for wheat and coarse grains and the derived MSP for rice.
• Entitlements for women and children :
There is a special focus in the Act on nutritional support to women and children. Every pregnant and lactating woman shall be entitled to a meal, free of charge, during pregnancy and six months after the child birth, though the local anganwadi and maternity benefit of not less than rupees six thousand, in such installments as may be prescribed by the Central Government. The Act also stipulates that every child up to the age of fourteen years shall be covered under this Act. For their nutritional needs, the children in the age group of 6 months to 6 years are entitled to receive age appropriate meal from the local anganwadi whereas the children in the age group of 6 years to 14 years are to get one mid-day meal from the Government/Government aided schools.
• Food Security Allowance :
The Act stipulates that in case of non-supply of the entitled quantities of food grains or meals to the entitled persons, such persons shall be entitled to receive such food security allowance from the concerned State Government to be paid to each person, within such time and manner as may be prescribed by the Central Government.
• Women Empowerment :
The eldest woman of eighteen years of age or above in every eligible household, wherever available, shall be head of the household for the purpose of issuance of ration card Where a household at any time does not have a woman or a woman of eighteen years of age or above, but has a female member below the age of eighteen years, then, the eldest male member of the household shall be the head of the household for the purpose of issue of ration card and the female member, on attaining the age of eighteen years, shall become the head of the household for such ration cards in place of such male member.
• Reforms in TPDS :
Reforms in the TPDS as envisaged in the Act include measures such as doorstep delivery of food grains to the PTDS outlets, application of information and communication technology (ICT) tools including end to end computerization, leveraging Aadhaar for unique identification of beneficiaries, full transparency of records, diversification of commodities under TPDS, etc.
• Grievance Redressal Mechanism :
Under the Act, Grievance Redressal Mechanism has been provided. Every State Government shall put in place an internal grievance redressal mechanism which may include call centres, help lines, designation of nodal officers, or such other mechanism as may be prescribed. Apart from the internal grievance redressal mechanism, the State Government shall appoint or designate, for each district, an officer to be the District Grievance Redressal Officer(DGRO) for expeditious and effective redressal of grievances of the aggrieved persons in matters relating to distribution of entitled food grains or meals and to enforce entitlements under the Act.
• Obligations of the Central Government :
The Central Government shall procure food grains for the Central Pool 17, allocate required quantity of food grains to the States, and provide for transportation of food grains as per allocation to the designated depots in each State. Further, the Central Government shall provide food grains in respect of entitlements to the State Governments, at prices specified for the persons belonging to eligible households. Besides, the Central Government shall create and maintain required modern and scientific storage facilities at various levels and in case of short supply of food grains from the Central Pool to a State, the Central Government shall provide funds to the extent of short supply for meeting the statutory obligation. The Central Government shall exercise the power to make rules and issue directions from time to time to the State Governments regarding implementation of the Act.
• Obligations of the State Government :
The State Government shall be responsible for implementation and monitoring of the scheme under the Act. Under the Act, it is the responsibility of the State Government to take delivery of food grains from the designated depots of the Central Government in the State and ensure actual delivery and supply of food grains to the entitled persons at subsidized prices. For ensuring efficient operation of the TPDS, the State Government shall create and maintain scientific storage facilities and strengthen the capacities of the State agencies and Fair Price Shops. In case of non-supply of the entitled quantities of food grains or meals to entitled persons, the State Government shall be responsible for payment of food security allowance.
• Other Welfare Schemes :
The Act shall not preclude the Central Government or the State Government from continuing or formulating other food based welfare schemes.
• Penalty :
The Act provides for penalty, not exceeding Rs. 5000 to be imposed on public servants or authority, by the State Food Commission, if found guilty of failing to comply with the relief recommended by the DGRO.
