The National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) provides that every State Government shall, by notification, constitute a State Food Commission for the purpose of monitoring and review of implementation of the Act. It has been decided that in case a State decides to set up State Food Commission on exclusive basis, Central Government will provide onetime financial assistance for non-building assets for State Food Commission.

Accordingly a component viz., “Assistance to States/UTs for non-building assets for State Food Commissions” has been included under the 12th Plan Umbrella Scheme on “Strengthening of PDS & Capacity Building, Quality Control, Consultancies & Research” of the Department. Under this component, the assistance is available for non-building assets such as furniture, office equipment, computers etc. These may include computers, air-conditioners, photocopiers, Fax machines, telephones, EPABX system, tables, chairs, storage units etc. Under the scheme, assistance is not provided for any construction activity or any recurring expenses.

Challenge:

Only 11 States have so far operationalised the Act with 25 States “unable’’ to comply with preconditions to improve the Public Distribution System.

Non-compliance by the states and related issues:

• Sections 14, 15 and 16 of the act which require the setting up of a grievance redress mechanism and a State Food Commission with responsibility to monitor the implementation of the law, have been heeded only in name and do not function on ground.
• District-level grievance redress solely falls under the ambit of the State authority. Central government has almost no role in the establishment of the district level grievance redressal authority.
• Social audits have to be done from the local level. The onus to conduct and promote social audit falls on state governments specifically.
• Even the States which are implementing the Act are doing so “partially” as most of them have continued with the old set of beneficiaries primarily with the aim of not losing any quota of the concessional food grains under the targeted PDS.
• Many governments have so far not articulated its policy on the delay in the identification of beneficiaries on the basis of the socio-economic caste census.
• States must have political will to use whatever socio-economic caste census data is available to come out with transparent indicators and make a new list of beneficiaries.

Importance of State participation can be analysed by following points:

Identification of Households: Within the coverage under TPDS determined for each State, the work of identification of eligible households is to be done by States/UTs.

Nutritional Support to women and children: Pregnant women and lactating mothers and children in the age group of 6 months to 14 years will be entitled to meals as per prescribed nutritional norms under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Mid-Day Meal (MDM) schemes. Higher nutritional norms have been prescribed for malnourished children upto 6 years of age.

Maternity Benefit: Pregnant women and lactating mothers will also be entitled to receive maternity benefit of not less than Rs. 6,000.

Women Empowerment: Eldest woman of the household of age 18 years or above to be the head of the household for the purpose of issuing of ration cards.

Grievance Redressal Mechanism: Grievance redressal mechanism at the District and State levels. States will have the flexibility to use the existing machinery or set up separate mechanism.

Way ahead:

Effective implementation of NFSA would make an important contribution to food security and improved nutrition in the country. Recent experience shows that a well-functioning PDS makes a big difference to people who live on the margin of subsistence.

The Act is also an opportunity to strengthen valuable child nutrition programmes such as school meals and the Integrated Child Development Services.

Central and State governments are jointly responsible for the proper implementation of the Act.

Conclusion:

Food Security law is definitely a boon, because it guarantees basic need, food. But the PDS system must be strengthened to avoid corruption and leakages. And procurement price must be increased. Farmers must be protected. If this law is implemented effectively, it can help in eradicating hunger and malnutrition.