MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI DANVE RAOSAHEB DADARAO)
(a): As per Global Hunger Index Report 2019 brought out by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) released in October, 2019, India has been ranked as 102 out of 117 countries.
.........2/-
-2-
(b) to (e): To provide for food and nutritional security in human life cycle approach by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food on affordable prices, the National Food Security Act, 2013 was enacted which came into force with effect from 5.7.2013. The Act provides for coverage of upto 75% of rural and 50% of the urban population for receiving subsidized foodgrains under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), thus covering about two-thirds of the entire population of the country. The Act also has a special focus on the nutritional support to women and children. Besides nutritious meal to pregnant women and lactating mothers during pregnancy and six months after the child birth, such women are also entitled to receive maternity benefit of not less than Rs. 6000. Children upto 14 years of age are entitled to nutritious meals as per the prescribed nutritional standards.
In order to further strengthen the Public Distribution System (PDS), Government in collaboration with States/UTs is implementing End-to-End Computerization of PDS Operations’ which comprises digitization of ration cards/beneficiaries data, computerization of supply chain management of foodgrains, setting up of transparency portal and online grievance redressal mechanisms in all States/UTs. Till date about 85.8% of the total 23.45 Crore ration cards in the country have been seeded with Aadhar number. Government is also implementing inter-State portability of ration card holders through ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ plan which enables the migrant beneficiaries to receive their entitled foodgrains form any Fair Price Shops (FPSs) using the same ration card issued to them in their home State. Presently, this facility is operational in 8 States in 4 clusters of two adjoining States each.
To improve the health and nutritional status of vulnerable population of the country, Govt. of India has taken various other measures as well. Some of these are:-
(i) Under Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Programme of National Health Mission, various interventions are implemented to improve the health of mother and children which have implication on nutritional status of children.
(ii) National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Programme (NIDDCP) for promotion of adequately Iodated salt (> 15 ppm Iodine content) consumption at household level.
..........3/-
-3-
(iii) Department of Food and Public Distribution has approved the “Centrally Sponsored Pilot Scheme on Fortification of Rice and its Distribution through Public Distribution System. Financial assistance upto 90% in case of North-Eastern, Hilly and Island States and upto 75% in case of rest of the States has been extended.
(iv) Government of India has advised all States/UTs especially those States/UTs that are distributing wheat flour through Public Distribution System (PDS), to distribute fortified wheat flour through PDS.
(v) Regulation for the fortification of edible vegetable oil, salt, milk, atta, maida and raw rice has been promulgated by FSSAI.
****
Download PDF Files
