Executive Summary:
This document addresses questions regarding the National Food Security Act (NFSA) of 2013, its implementation, and related issues such as census delays, ration card management, and dietary surveys. It provides details on beneficiary coverage, the impact of technology on identifying ineligible ration cards, and the recent National Dietary Survey conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research. The information is current as of July 30, 2025.
Key Points / Main Content:
NFSA Implementation and Coverage:
* NFSA aims to supplement food requirements for up to 75% of the rural and 50% of the urban population, totaling 81.35 crore beneficiaries based on the 2011 Census.
* Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households receive 35 kg of food grains per household per month, while Priority Households (PHH) receive 5 kg of food grains per person per month, free of cost.
* States/UTs have identified 80.56 crore beneficiaries, leaving a scope to identify 0.79 crore more beneficiaries.
* The responsibility for identifying beneficiaries and issuing ration cards lies with the State Governments, with the Central Government issuing advisories for inclusion of eligible persons.
* Revisions in coverage are possible only after the publication of the next population Census data.
Ration Card Management:
* Digitization and Aadhar seeding have led to the identification and deletion of approximately 5.87 crore ineligible ration cards since 2013.
* A table provides a year-wise breakdown of deleted ration cards from 2013 to 2023, totaling 58,722,894.
National Dietary Survey:
* The Indian Council of Medical Research conducted a comprehensive National Dietary Survey (SAMPADA) across 35 States/UTs (excluding Manipur), collecting dietary intake data from approximately 2 lakh participants.
Impact Analysis:
Central Government:
* Impact: Responsible for issuing advisories to States/UTs regarding the identification of eligible NFSA beneficiaries.
* Action Required: Continue to provide guidance and support to States/UTs for effective implementation of NFSA.
State Governments/UTs:
* Impact: Responsible for identifying beneficiaries, issuing ration cards, and updating beneficiary databases.
* Action Required: Identify and include the remaining eligible beneficiaries (0.79 crore), delete ineligible ration cards, and ensure better targeting of rightful beneficiaries.
NFSA Beneficiaries:
* Impact: Ensuring access to subsidized food grains under NFSA.
* Action Required: Awareness of their eligibility and compliance with any documentation or verification requirements.
Key Entities Referenced
National Food Security Act, 2013: An Act of the Parliament of India which aims to provide subsidized food grains to approximately two-thirds of the country's population.
National Census: A decennial population census conducted by the Government of India.
Antyodaya Anna Yojana: A Government of India scheme to provide highly subsidized food to the poorest families.
Priority Households: Households identified by State Governments/Union Territory Administrations as eligible to receive subsidized food grains under the National Food Security Act.
Aadhaar: A 12-digit unique identity number issued to all Indian residents based on their biometric and demographic data.
National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau: An organization that was previously responsible for monitoring the nutritional status of the Indian population.
Indian Council of Medical Research: The apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research.
Survey for Assessment of Markers of Population Health, Activity, Diet and Anthropometry: A comprehensive National Dietary Survey conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research collecting dietary intake data from participants across multiple States and Union Territories in India.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS. FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1839
TO BE ANSWERED ON 30TH JULY, 2025
DELAYED CENSUS AND NFSA
1839. SHRI BALWANT BASWANT WANKHADE:
DR. AMAR SINGH:
DR. KIRSAN NAMDEO:
SHRI RAMASAHAYAM RAGHURAM REDDY:
Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
be pleased to state:
(a) whether crores of citizens have been kept beyond the ambit of National Food Security Act,
2013 due to delay in the conduction of National Census who are otherwise eligible for the same;
(b) the steps being taken by the Government to expand the coverage of people left out for the
reasons of issuance of New Ration Cards;
(c) whether any estimation has been made of the impact of seeding based on the issuance of
Ration Cards and renewal, compulsory KYC and document based verification;
(d) the number of Ration Cards cancelled or withheld for their not being linked with AADHAAR
or for non-fulfillment of formalities involved, year-wise; and
(e) whether any comprehensive National diet survey is being conducted or is proposed to be
conducted in view of the discontinuation of National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau around a decade
ago?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS,
FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)
(a) & (b): National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 is being successfully implemented in all the
States/UTs, aims to supplement the food requirements of upto 75% of the rural and upto 50% of the
urban population which at Census 2011 comes to 81.35 crore beneficiaries. Under the NFSA, while
Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households, which constitute poorest of the poor are entitled to 35 kg
offoodgrains, per Household per month, Priority Households (PHH) are entitled to 5 kg of foodgrains
per person per month at free of cost.
The Coverage under the Act is substantially high to ensure that all the vulnerable and needy
sections of the society get its benefit. The States/UTs have identified only 80.56 crore person, against
the intended coverage of 81.35 crore person. Still, there is a scope for identification of 0.79 crore more
beneficiaries, by the States/UTs, under the NFSA. Under the joint responsibility of the Centra] and
State Government, the responsibility for identification of beneficiaries and issuance of their rationcards rests with the concerned State Government. The Central Government issues advisories to all the
States/Union Territories from time to time to identify all eligible and poor persons/ households
including vulnerable Sections of the Society for inclusion under the NFSA. States are undertaking
updation of their beneficiary database so that ineligible ration cards get deleted and better targeting of
rightful beneficiaries is ensured.
Section 9 of the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFS A) provides that the total number of
persons to be covered in rural and urban areas of the State shall be calculated on the basis of the
population estimates as per the Census of which the relevant figures have been published. At the time
of implementation of NFSA, the latest published figures of Census pertaining to the year 2011 was
used to determine the coverage of all States/Union Territories (UTs).
Any revision in coverage shall be possible only after the relevant data of next population
Census is published
(c) & (d): As an outcome of use of technology in TDPS operations since 2013, i.e digitization of
Ration Card/Beneficiary database & Aadhar seeding has led to identification of duplicates, ineligible
records, deaths, permanent migration of Beneficiary etc. This has led all States/UTs to able to weed-
out approx. 5.87 crore ration cards in order to achieve rightful targeting.
No. of deleted Ration Cards
2013 4,664,645
2014 5,20 1 ,280
2015 5,03 1 ,877
2016 8,426,329
2017
6, 1 3 1 ,774
2018 7,374,65
2019 5,990,446
2020 2,4 1 9,45 1
2021 2,902,794
2022 6,380,274
2023 4, 199,373
Total 58,722,894
(e): Indian Council of Medical Research has recently conducted a comprehensive National Dietary
Survey titled ’Survey for Assessment of Markers of Population Health, Activity, Diet and
Anthropometry (SAMPADA), collecting detailed individual dietary intake data from about 2 lakh
participants from 183 districts across 35 States/UTs (except Manipur).
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