Census data may decide food subsidy

Description

Context: Once the new census data is available, the Centre may consider revising the number of people who get subsidised food grains under the National Food Security Act.

Details:

The NFSA provides for five kg of foodgrains per month to be provided to two-thirds of the country at the subsidised rate of Rs. 2 per kg of wheat and Rs. 3 per kg of rice through the public distribution system (PDS).
The current NFSA coverage of 81 crore people was determined on the basis of the 2011 census, and has not been revised since the law was passed in 2013.
The NFSA covered 67% of the country’s population, including 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population.

NITI Aayog’s Discussion Paper: Government think tank NITI Aayog has recently circulated a discussion paper proposing a reduction in the NFSA coverage, to 60% of the rural population and 40% of the urban population, in a bid to curb the food subsidy budget.

https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/census-data-may-decide-food-subsidy/article34057233.ece