Inclusion of eligible disabled persons under National Food Security Act 2013

News: Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution has asked State Governments/UTs to include all eligible disabled persons under the National Food Security Act(NFSA),2013.The disabled persons should get their entitled quota of food grains under NFSA & Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana as per provisions of the Act.

Facts:

• NFSA,2013: It aims to provide food and nutritional security by ensuring access to an adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices.
• Coverage: It covers upto 75% of the rural population and upto 50% of the urban population for receiving foodgrains under Targeted Public Distribution System(TPDS).
• Categories: Identification of beneficiaries under the Act is under two categories- households covered under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Households (PHH) within the coverage determined for the State/UT.
• Foodgrains Entitlement: 5 kg per person for PHH category and 35 kg per household for AAY households.
• Prices: Rs 1/2/3 per kg for nutri-cereals/wheat/rice respectively.
• Nutritional Support to women and children: Children in the age group of 6 months to 14 years and pregnant women and lactating mothers will be entitled to meals as per prescribed nutritional norms under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Mid-Day Meal(MDM) schemes
• 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 ration cards.
• Grievance Redressal Mechanism : Grievance redressal mechanism at the District and State levels

Additional Facts:

• Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana: It was announced as part of the relief package during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure sufficient food for the poor and needy during the coronavirus crisis.
• Features: Under the scheme, about 81 Crore National Food Security Act(NFSA) beneficiaries are being provided with an additional quota of free-of-cost foodgrains (Rice/Wheat) at a scale of 5 Kg per person per month over and above their regular monthly entitlement.