With reference to the provisions made under the National Food Security Act, 2013, consider the following statements :
- The families coming under the category of ‘below poverty line (BPL)’ only are eligible to receive subsidised food grains.
- The eldest woman in a household, of age 18 years or above, shall be the head of the household for the purpose of issuance of a ration card.
- Pregnant women and lactating mothers are entitled to a ‘take-home ration’ of 1600 calories per day during pregnancy and for six months thereafter.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 2″ option2=”2 only” option3=”1 and 3″ option4=”3 only” correct=”option2″]
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2018
– Statement 2 is correct. Section 13 of the NFSA, 2013, explicitly states that for the purpose of issuance of a ration card under the Act, the eldest woman in a household, of age eighteen years or above, shall be the head of the household.
– Statement 3 is incorrect. Section 4 of the NFSA, 2013, entitles pregnant women and lactating mothers to nutritious meals, free of cost, during pregnancy and six months after childbirth, through the local anganwadis. It also guarantees a maternity benefit of not less than `6000. However, the Act itself does not specify a “take-home ration of 1600 calories per day” as the entitlement. While supplementary nutrition programs like ICDS (often linked with NFSA implementation) may have guidelines that result in a certain caloric intake delivered through take-home rations or meals, the specific entitlement defined *in the Act* is meals and maternity benefit, not a fixed caloric take-home ration value.