In News: The Centre will provide foodgrains to states under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) free for one year from today.
The New Integrated Scheme:
Aim:
Government of India has social & legal commitment to the people of the nation- a dignified life by ensuring them access to food and nutritional security through availability of adequate quantity of quality foodgrains.
Bringing uniformity and clarity on food security under NFSA at beneficiary level.
To fulfil the vision of One Nation – One Price – One Ration
About the scheme:
It is to begin on 1 January 2023 for a period of 1 year.
It would provide free foodgrains to 81.35 crore beneficiaries under NFSA including Antyodaya Ann Yojana households and Priority Household persons.
The new integrated scheme will subsume two current food subsidy schemes of the Department of Food and Public Distribution- a) Food Subsidy to FCI for NFSA, and b) Food Subsidy for decentralized procurement states, dealing with procurement, allocation and delivery of free foodgrains to the states under NFSA.
Free foodgrains will concurrently ensure uniform implementation of portability under One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) across the country and will further strengthen this choice-based platform.
Central Government will bear the food subsidy of more than Rs. 2 Lakh crore for the year 2023.
The foodgrains will be provided through the widespread network of over five lakhs Fair Price Shops across the country.
Significance:
The Scheme would ensure effective and uniform implementation of National Food Security Act (NFSA).
This will strengthen the provisions of NFSA, in terms of accessibility, affordability and availability of foodgrains for the poor.
