(i) Introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 07, 2013 (ii) Passed Lok Sabha On August 26, 2013 (iii) Passed by Rajya Sabha OnSeptember 2, 2013 (iv) Notified on Sep 10, 2013

                        As Introduced          As Passed by Lok Sabha        Errata             Act 20 of 2013

Article 47 of the Constitution, inter alia, provides that the State shall regard the raising of the level of nutrition and the standard of living of its people and the improvement of public health as among its primary duties. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to which India is a signatory, also cast responsibilities on all State parties to recognise the right of everyone to adequate food. Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger is one of the goals under the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations. 2. In pursuance of the constitutional and the international conventions obligations, providing food security has been focus of the Government’s planning and policy. Food security means availability of sufficient foodgrains to meet the domestic demand as well as access, at the individual level, to adequate quantities of food at affordable prices. Attainment of self-sufficiency in foodgrains production at the national level has been one of the major achievements of the country. In order to address the issue of food security at the household level, the Government is implementing the Targeted Public Distribution System under whichsubsidised foodgrains are provided to the Below Poverty Line, including Antyodaya Anna Yojana, and Above Poverty Line households. While the Below Poverty Line households under the Targeted Public Distribution System receive thirty-five kilograms food grains per family per month, the allocation to Above Poverty Line households depends upon availability of food grains in the Central pool. Allocations for other food based welfare schemes for women and children, natural disasters, etc., are also being made at subsidized rates. 3. Ensuring food security of the people, however, continues to be a challenge. The nutritional status of the population, and especially of women and children, also needs to be improved to enhance the quality of human resource of the country. The proposed legislation marks a paradigm shift in addressing the problem of food security—from the current welfare approach to a right based approach. Besides expanding coverage of the Targeted Public Distribution System, the proposed legislation would confer legal rights on eligible beneficiaries to receive entitled quantities of food grains at highly subsidised prices. It will also confer legal rights on women and children to receive meal free of charge.