National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013
Design and Critiques
The National Food Security Act, 2013 (No. 20 of 2013) converts food security from a welfare intervention into a legal entitlement, making it justiciable — a landmark in India's social policy.
- Coverage: 75% of rural population and 50% of urban population — approximately 80 crore beneficiaries (two-thirds of the country).
- Entitlement: 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month at subsidised prices — rice at ₹3/kg, wheat at ₹2/kg, coarse cereals at ₹1/kg. (Later modified; Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana [PMGKAY] provides grain free of cost since 2020.)
- Statutory basis: Parliament enacted it under Entry 33 of the Concurrent List (production, supply, and distribution of certain foodstuffs).
- Key critique: The Act focuses almost exclusively on staple grain security (wheat and rice) and does not address nutritional security — ignoring pulses, millets, fruits, vegetables, and animal proteins that are critical for addressing malnutrition and stunting.
- The Act has also been criticised for locking in a high procurement-storage-distribution cost structure that is difficult to reform once beneficiaries develop dependence.
● Tracked since February 10, 2026 · last seen March 13, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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