National Food Security Act (NFSA)

Eligibility Criteria to Get a Ration Card from the State Government

The following are the eligibility criteria to apply for a ration card from the state government:

1. The applicant should be the citizen of India.
2. He or she should not have a ration card that belongs to another state.
3. The applicant should stay with family or close relatives. 
4. The applicant should not have any other family card in the same state.

Documents Needed

You need to submit the following documents to apply for a ration card:

1. A duly filled and signed application form
2. A proof of identity
3. A proof of address
4. Photograph of the head of the family
5. Income proof
6. A cancelled or old ration card

In a Nutshell

These are all about the features and objectives of the National Food Security Act. People who are eligible to get benefits under this act need to apply for a ration card within the time limit. The ration card also acts as a valid Know Your Customer (KYC) document.

Features and Objectives of NFSA

The aim of the National Food Security Act or NFSA is to provide food to people who cannot afford to buy it. Given below are the objectives of NFSA

1. The main objective and aim of the food security act is to provide food grains to the citizens of India, on a regular basis.
2. The act provides food and nutrition to people at affordable prices.
3. The feature of NFSA has been added in the same clause that mentions food should be easily accessible by the people.
4. The Food Security Act is interrelated to the Constitution of India which provides rights to the Indian citizens to live lives with dignity and lead healthy lives by consuming adequate food.

Eligibility Criteria and Identification Coverage of Households

The National Food Security Act classifies households into different categories which are eligible to get foodgrains. The following are the different categories:

1. Households which are covered under provisions associated with Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY).
2. Priority households mentioned under the clauses of the Targeted Public Distribution System or TPDS.
3. As per the latest data released by the census, the population coverage is determined by the Central Government of India.
4. As per the latest reports, National Food Security Act scheme is aimed for the 50% of the people residing in urban India and 75% of the people staying in rural parts of the country.
5. The cost of foodgrains is set for a tenure of three years after which the rates of food grains set by the Central Government will change as per the ‘Minimum Support Price’ criteria.
6. In case of the shortage of foodgrains, the beneficiaries will be compensated with a food security allowance which will be administered by providing cash to purchase food grains.

Security Allowance and Food Entitlements

Various provisions of the acts offer entitlements to foodgrain as well as administer security allowances. The following are the special entitlements

1. Under the NFSA, each month, the beneficiaries will get 5kg of food grain per person.
2. Under this scheme of AAY, the beneficiaries will get 35 kg of food grains each month.
3. The cost of the foodgrains is set for a period of three years after which the government will change the fixed rates as per the ‘Minimum Support Price’.
4. The price of foodgrains is set at a maximum of Rs.2 per kg of wheat, Rs.3 per kg of rice, and Rs.1 per kg of coarse foodgrains for a three-year tenure.
5. In case of the shortage of food grains, the households will be duly compensated with food grain security allowance which will be administered by providing cash to purchase food grains.

Special Facility to Women and Children

The NFSA places special emphasis on women and children by offering dedicated benefits. Below are the key principles of the Act that highlight its focus on their well-being. 

1. Pregnant and lactating women can get free meal at any time during their pregnancy and this facility is valid for six months after the birth of a child.
2. Children aged between six months and six years can get meals free of cost. Apart from this, children who are aged between six years and 14 years can avail free meals under the mid-day meal scheme at any government school.

Women Empowerment

This special act holds some rights which focus on women empowerment. The following are the steps taken for the women under this act:

1. When it comes to the primary issuance of entitlement, the head of the family should be a woman.
2. The head of the family should be at least 18 years of age. If this is not the case, the eldest male of the family will be considered as the head of the family.

Grievance Redressal

Under the Food Security Act of 2013, every Indian state is needed to create a system where they can address their grievances. People can register their grievances by getting in touch with nodal officers, helpline numbers, and call centers.

TPDS Beneficiaries and Entitlements

The TPDS under the National Food Security Act offers the following entitlements to the beneficiaries as per different categories

Beneficiaries Under the Targeted Public Distribution System

The Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) comprises three types of beneficiaries

1. AAY Beneficiaries - Beneficiaries who are under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana scheme are those households which come below the poverty line. These households have the right to a Food Security Ration Card which includes rural craftsmen, marginal farmers, slum dwellers, artisans, destitute individuals, landless laborers, etc.
2. Below Poverty Line Households -BPL families have the right to get the Food Security Ration cards.
3. Above Poverty Line Households - Under this category, eligible households can apply for APL ration card to receive subsidies for foodgrains.