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Last Updated: 17 Oct 2025

NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY ACT (NFSA), 2013

The scheme ensures food and nutritional security for eligible households under the Targeted Public Distribution System. It provides subsidized food grains to 67% of the population, covering 75% rural and 50% urban households.

Quick facts 

  • Purpose: To provide food and nutritional security in human life cycle approach
  • Type: Centrally sponsored scheme
  • Coverage: 67% of the country's population (75% of the rural and 50% of the urban population)
  • Identification of Household: Based on the NSS Household Consumption Survey data for 2011-12

Objective

  • A legal right to persons belonging to "eligible households" to receive food grains at subsidised price (called Central Issue Prices/CIPs) under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).

Salient features

Infographic showing key highlights of food security scheme including Food Grains Benefits with Central Issue Prices and monthly entitlements, Lifecycle Support for pregnant women and children with maternity benefits up to Rs. 6,000, Food Security Allowance for non-supply compensation, Penalty Provisions, Grievance Redressal system, and Women Empowerment through ration cards for eldest women.
  • Sugar subsidy to AAY Families
    • In addition to 35 kg of foodgrains per month, AAY households also receive 1 kg of sugar per family per month through the TPDS 
    • The Central Government gives subsidy of Rs.18.50 per kg per month of sugar to AAY families. 
    • The tenure of sugar subsidy for AAY families is upto 31 March 2026. 
  • Joint responsibility of federal Governments: 
    • Centre: Allocates & transports food grains, supports States/UTs. 
    • States: Identify beneficiaries, issue ration cards, implement schemes. 
  • Other features
    • Online Grievance registration facilites
    • Fortification of Rice
    • Automation of the supply chain
    • Aadhaar seeding

Key initiatives 

  • Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY): Free food grains to about 81.35 crore NFSA beneficiaries is being provided for a period of five years 
  • Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman or PM POSHAN (formerly the Mid-Day Meal scheme): For providing Hot meals for Government and Government – aided Schools 
    • Tenure: 2021-22 -2025-26 
    • Beneficiaries: Pre-school (Bal Vatika) & Class I-VIII students. 
    • Nodal Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Education. 
  • SakshamAnganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (Mission Poshan 2.0) 
    • Purpose: Combating malnutrition among children, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. 
    • Beneficiaries: Children, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers 
    • Tenure: 2021-22 to 2025-26 
    • Nodal Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Women and Child Development MoWCD 
    • Note: The scheme is covered in detail under MoWCD 
  • Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana or PMMVY: It is a conditional cash transfer scheme for PW&LM.
Infographic detailing key features of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) launched in 2017, providing financial assistance of ₹5,000 for first living child and ₹1,000 under JSY totaling ₹6,000 per woman, with additional ₹6,000 support for second girl child under PMMVY 2.0, benefiting pregnant women and lactating mothers aged 19+ from informal sectors, implemented by Ministry of Women & Child Development.
  • One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) plan: Enables nationwide portability of ration cards under NFSA. Beneficiaries can access rations anywhere using Aadhaar-based biometric authentication. 
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