Government Schemes and Policies for Food Security in Rajasthan | RPSC Preparation: All subjects - RPSC RAS (Rajasthan) PDF Download

National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013

The National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 is a key law in India that ensures affordable food for millions, aiming to reduce hunger and malnutrition. In Rajasthan, it plays a vital role in providing food security to a large portion of the population through legal entitlements.

A. Provisions of NFSA

• Coverage: Provides subsidized food grains to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population in Rajasthan, covering millions of residents.

• Subsidized Food Grains: Offers rice at ₹3/kg, wheat at ₹2/kg, and coarse grains at ₹1/kg through fair price shops under the Public Distribution System (PDS).

• Example: Families in rural Rajasthan depend on these affordable grains to meet their daily food needs.

B. Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)

• Description: Targets the poorest households to eliminate extreme hunger by providing highly subsidized food grains.

• Entitlement: Each AAY household gets 35 kg of food grains per month (rice at ₹3/kg, wheat at ₹2/kg, coarse grains at ₹1/kg).

• Eligibility: Includes landless laborers, marginal farmers, rural artisans, widows, terminally ill persons, and households with no stable income.

• Relevance to Rajasthan: Supports the most vulnerable families, especially in poor and tribal areas.

• Example: In districts like Dungarpur, AAY helps tribal families access sufficient food.

C. Priority Households (PHH)

• Description: Covers families that are not as poor as AAY beneficiaries but still need food assistance.

• Entitlement: Each PHH beneficiary receives 5 kg of food grains per person per month at subsidized rates.

• Eligibility: Determined by socio-economic criteria, such as income and household conditions.

• Relevance to Rajasthan: Ensures broader food security coverage for families above the poverty line.

• Example: Urban poor in Jaipur use PHH benefits to afford basic food grains.

D. Special Provisions

• Eldest Woman as Head of Household: Recognizes the eldest woman (18 years or older) as the head for ration cards, empowering women to manage food entitlements.

  • Example: In rural Rajasthan, women control food distribution through ration cards.

• Free Nutritious Food for Children: Provides free meals to children aged 6 months to 14 years through the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) at Anganwadi centers.

  • Example: ICDS centers in Rajasthan offer meals to reduce child malnutrition in tribal areas.

• Maternity Entitlements: Pregnant and lactating women receive free meals and cash benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), launched in 2017.

  • Example: PMMVY supports pregnant women in Rajasthan with meals and cash to improve maternal health.

GiveUp Abhiyan (Rajasthan)

• Description: Launched in November 2024, the GiveUp Abhiyan encourages ineligible beneficiaries to voluntarily surrender their NFSA benefits, ensuring resources reach the truly needy.

• Impact: Over 17.63 lakh people have opted out, freeing up subsidies for poorer households.

• Relevance to Food Security: Improves PDS efficiency by reducing leakages and targeting the most vulnerable.

• Example: In Jaipur, affluent families have surrendered ration cards, allowing better support for low-income households.

Public Distribution System (PDS)

The PDS is a government system that distributes subsidized food and essential items through fair price shops (FPS) to eligible households.

A. Role of Fair Price Shops (FPS)

• Function: FPS distribute food grains (rice, wheat, coarse grains) and other items like kerosene to NFSA beneficiaries.

• Relevance to Rajasthan: Ensures physical access to food, especially in rural and remote areas.

• Example: In Ganganagar, FPS provide subsidized grains to AAY and PHH households, reducing hunger.

• Impact: Bridges the gap between food availability and accessibility for the poor.

B. Inclusion of Non-Cereal Items

• Description: Rajasthan is exploring adding non-cereal items like pulses and edible oils to the PDS to improve dietary diversity, inspired by Tamil Nadu’s model.

• Impact: Pulses provide protein, addressing nutritional deficiencies like anemia.

• Relevance to Rajasthan: Enhances the utilization pillar of food security by promoting balanced diets.

• Example: Pilot projects in Rajasthan are testing pulse distribution through FPS to improve nutrition.

POSHAN Abhiyaan

• Description: Launched in 2018, POSHAN Abhiyaan is a national campaign to reduce malnutrition, stunting, wasting, and anemia among children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.

• Key Initiative: The Jan Andolan campaign promotes nutritional awareness through community participation, workshops, and media outreach.

• Relevance to Rajasthan: Addresses high stunting (31.8%) and anemia (59.7% in women) rates in the state.

• Example: In Udaipur, Anganwadi centers conduct nutrition education sessions under Jan Andolan.

• Impact: Provides supplements (e.g., iron and folic acid) and educates families on balanced diets, reducing malnutrition.

Other Schemes

Several additional schemes in Rajasthan support food security and nutrition, targeting specific groups and challenges.

A. Mathrupoorna Scheme

• Description: Inspired by Karnataka, this scheme provides one full meal daily to pregnant and lactating women to improve maternal and child health.

• Relevance to Rajasthan: Combats high maternal anemia and low birth weight in select districts.

• Example: In Banswara, the scheme offers nutritious meals at Anganwadi centers for tribal women.

• Impact: Enhances nutrition for mothers and infants, reducing malnutrition rates.

B. Akshaya Patra Foundation

• Description: A non-profit organization that partners with the Rajasthan government to provide mid-day meals in schools under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme.

• Relevance to Rajasthan: Serves nutritious meals to school children, improving attendance and reducing malnutrition.

• Example: In Jaipur, Akshaya Patra kitchens feed thousands of students daily.

• Impact: Supports the utilization pillar by ensuring children receive balanced diets.

C. Rajasthan Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme

• Description: Provides 100 days of wage employment to urban poor households, linking social protection to nutrition.

• Relevance to Rajasthan: Increases income for urban poor, enabling them to afford food.

• Example: In Jodhpur, the scheme helps slum dwellers purchase food grains.

• Impact: Reduces food insecurity among urban populations by improving economic access.

D. Climate-Resilient Initiatives

• Description: Programs promoting sustainable farming and crop insurance to address climate shocks like droughts and floods.

• Key Initiatives:

  • Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): Offers crop insurance to protect farmers from losses due to natural calamities.

  • Climate-Resilient Crops: Promotes drought-resistant crops (e.g., millets) and flood-tolerant varieties (e.g., Swarna-Sub1 rice).

  • Mukhya Mantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan: Enhances irrigation through water harvesting and drip irrigation.

• Relevance to Rajasthan: Stabilizes food production in Rajasthan’s arid climate, ensuring food availability.

• Example: PMFBY supported farmers in Barmer for crop losses in 2023, maintaining food security.

• Impact: Strengthens the stability pillar by mitigating climate risks.