(a) whether the Government has prepared any draft of the proposed National Food
Security Act (NFSA);
(b) if so, the details and the salient features thereof;
(c) whether the proposed price differential of foodgrains and the likely
extent of coverage of the Act have been incorporated therein;
(d) if so, the details thereof;
(e) whether the Government proposes to link the said scheme to the smart card based
Unique Identification (UID) system; and
(f) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (PROF. K.V. THOMAS)
(a) to (f): A Statement is laid on the table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (f) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. 464 DUE FOR
ANSWER ON 06.09.2011 IN THE LOK SABHA.
(a) to (f): In pursuance of the announcement made by the President of India in her address
to the Joint Session of Parliament on 4th June, 2009, to enact a new law – the National Food
Security Act – the Government prepared a Concept Note and had consultations with the Central
Ministries/Departments, States/Union Territories, experts and other stakeholders. Based on their
comments/suggestions and recommendations of National Advisory Council (NAC) and Expert Committee
constituted under the Chairmanship of Chairman, Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, the
Government have prepared a draft National Food Security Bill, covering various aspects of the
proposed legislation.
The Draft Bill provides for food and nutritional security in a human life cycle approach.
It contains provisions, inter alia, for coverage of population under two categories of households
- priority and general- at subsidised but differentiated prices. The Draft Bill also contains
provision for reforms in the Targeted Public Distribution System, including leveraging AADHAR
for identification of beneficiaries.
The draft Bill was placed before the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on 11.07.2011 and in
pursuance of the directions of the EGoM, the draft Bill has been got vetted by the Ministry of
Law and Justice. After consultations with States/Union Territories and Central Ministries/
Departments on the Draft Bill, approval of Government at the appropriate level will be obtained
before its introduction in the Parliament.