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The National Food Security Ordinance will have a negative impact on the poor : Shri Modi

Published By : Admin | August 13, 2013 | 19:10 IST
"In the name of food security, UPA Govt drastically reduces food supply to BPL families"
"CM objects anti-poor provisions under NFSO by insensitive UPA Govt"
"CM writes to PM and CMs of various States on reducing food grain entitlement to poor"

Gandhinagar, August 13, 2013 : Under the National Food Security Ordinance (NFSO), issued by the UPA Government led by Congress, the food entitlements to the BPL families have been drastically reduced. According to the NFSO, the entitlement of BPL families has been reduced from 35 kg per family to only 25 kg per month to an average family of 5 persons. As is well known, it is the BPL families, which are most vulnerable and need adequate food supply at a subsidized cost in those remote areas and are not dependent on private merchants. In fact, more than 50% Scheduled Tribes population are under BPL and in those areas; access to food grains is a major issue. The BJP Governments in various states have set examples in public distribution system (PDS) and ensured 35 kg food grains to BPL families. In fact, the work done in Chhattisgarh and Gujarat, have been highly appreciated even by Hon’ble Supreme Court.

Reducing food entitlement to poorest of the poor cannot be the objective of any food security legislation. In fact, it is a cruel joke with the poor of this country. They have been promised food security and assured supply of 35 kg of food grain has been reduced to 25 kg. Gujarat Chief Minister objected very strongly to this reduction in the entitlement of those who have been identified as being below the poverty line.

The NSFO’s proposed pricing structure for the food grain adds financial burden on BPL families who now have to buy the additional food requirements from the open market. The BPL family will now have to incur Rs. 85 more per month in Gujarat to avail 35 Kg food grain.

The proposed entitlement also affects the required calorie intake of an individual. As per the Ordinance, the distribution of 5 kg food grains per month per person implies the supply of only 165 gm per person per day. Individuals involved in labour intensive activities require at least 2,500 calories per day. The entitled 165 gm grains would provide only 500 calories per day which is hardly 20% of one’s daily calorie requirements. Even in the Mid Day Meal (MDM) scheme, school going children are entitled to about 180 gm of food grain. As against this, an ‘adult food insecure person’ is proposed to be given only 165 gm for 2 meals per day. This does not address even the ‘calorific security’, not to talk about ‘nutritional security’, which is the main objective of food security.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Narendra Modi has expressed serious concern with the National Food Security Ordinance (NFSO) promulgated by the Central Government. He said the Ordinance does not fulfill the basic objectives of food security. In fact, this Antodaya card holders, who come under ‘poorest of the poor category’, this National Food Security Ordinance has no additional provisions to ensure food security.

Strangely, Central Government has come out with this Ordinance but in case, there is a shortage of food grain supply, it has refused to take any responsibility to ensure supply of the required quantity of food grains. Instead, this responsibility has been cast upon the respective state Governments to fulfill the shortage of food grains.

If there is drought and/ or States which are food grain deficit, State Governments will find itself in a very difficult situation to manage/ procure the food grains. Central Government with huge wherewithal could have taken this responsibility to make available the food grain during drought/ scarcity.

It seems that the Central Government is trying to take away the bare minimum from the BPL families. On one hand, the Planning Commission has been claiming reduction in the numbers of BPL families by redefining the parameters of a BPL family. On the other, those who still qualify as a BPL family will now suffer because of the NFSO. Strangely, number of beneficiaries has been fixed in the ordinance without specifying eligibility criteria and fix individual entitlements. Between different States, there could be wide regional disparities.

It is also surprising that the Central government chose not to consult any of the state Governments on the issue of NFSO. In a federal democracy, it is vital that the centre and the state Governments work in tandem with each other. In his letter, Shri Modi has pointed out that in the Ordinance, unworkable statutory responsibilities have been given to Central and State governments.

Gujarat Chief Minister has requested the Prime Minister to call a meeting of Chief Ministers as it concerns both Centre and State Governments with huge implications. The Chief Minister has also written to all the State Chief Ministers for a meeting on the same.

The insensitivity of the UPA Government has left very little for the states to decide. While some states have successfully provided food security to their people, the central Government fails to consult even these states for an effective food security ordinance.

 

Effect of proposed National Food Security Ordinance (NFSO) on a BPL Family (monthly)

Before  NFSO (Quantity : 35 Kg)

As Per NFSO (Expenditure for 35 Kg for a family of 5 persons)

As Per NFSO  :    25 kg 

Open Market  :    10 kg 

Additional Expanses Rs. 85 per month

 

Click Here to see the presentation on how the National Food Security Ordinance will have a negative impact on the poor.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi, earlier today. The three-day Conference was held in Pusa, Delhi from 26 to 28 December, 2025.

Prime Minister observed that this conference marks another decisive step in strengthening the spirit of cooperative federalism and deepening Centre-State partnership to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister emphasised that Human Capital comprising knowledge, skills, health and capabilities is the fundamental driver of economic growth and social progress and must be developed through a coordinated Whole-of-Government approach.

The Conference included discussions around the overarching theme of ‘Human Capital for Viksit Bharat’. Highlighting India's demographic advantage, the Prime Minister stated that nearly 70 percent of the population is in the working-age group, creating a unique historical opportunity which, when combined with economic progress, can significantly accelerate India's journey towards Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister said that India has boarded the “Reform Express”, driven primarily by the strength of its young population, and empowering this demographic remains the government’s key priority. Prime Minister noted that the Conference is being held at a time when the country is witnessing next-generation reforms and moving steadily towards becoming a major global economic power.

He further observed that Viksit Bharat is synonymous with quality and excellence and urged all stakeholders to move beyond average outcomes. Emphasising quality in governance, service delivery and manufacturing, the Prime Minister stated that the label "Made in India' must become a symbol of excellence and global competitiveness.

Prime Minister emphasised the need to strengthen Aatmanirbharta, stating that India must pursue self-reliance with zero defect in products and minimal environmental impact, making the label 'Made in India' synonymous with quality and strengthen our commitment to 'Zero Effect, Zero Defect.’ He urged the Centre and States to jointly identify 100 products for domestic manufacturing to reduce import dependence and strengthen economic resilience in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister emphasised the need to map skill demand at the State and global levels to better design skill development strategies. In higher education too, he suggested that there is a need for academia and industry to work together to create high quality talent.

For livelihoods of youth, Prime Minister observed that tourism can play a huge role. He highlighted that India has a rich heritage and history with a potential to be among the top global tourist destinations. He urged the States to prepare a roadmap for creating at least one global level tourist destination and nourishing an entire tourist ecosystem.

PM Modi said that it is important to align the Indian national sports calendar with the global sports calendar. India is working to host the 2036 Olympics. India needs to prepare infrastructure and sports ecosystem at par with global standards. He observed that young kids should be identified, nurtured and trained to compete at that time. He urged the States that the next 10 years must be invested in them, only then will India get desired results in such sports events. Organising and promoting sports events and tournaments at local and district level and keeping data of players will create a vibrant sports environment.

PM Modi said that soon India would be launching the National Manufacturing Mission (NMM). Every State must give this top priority and create infrastructure to attract global companies. He further said that it included Ease of Doing Business, especially with respect to land, utilities and social infrastructure. He also called upon states to encourage manufacturing, boost ‘Ease of Doing Business’ and strengthen the services sector. In the services sector, PM Modi said that there should be greater emphasis on other areas like Healthcare, education, transport, tourism, professional services, AI, etc. to make India a Global Services Giant.

Prime Minister also emphasized that as India aspires to be the food basket of the world, we need to shift to high value agriculture, dairy, fisheries, with a focus on exports. He pointed out that the PM Dhan Dhanya Scheme has identified 100 districts with lower productivity. Similarly, in learning outcomes States must identify the lowest 100 districts and must work on addressing the issues around the low indicators.

PM also urged the States to use Gyan Bharatam Mission for digitization of manuscripts. He said that States may start a Abhiyan to digitize such manuscripts available in States. Once these manuscripts are digitized, Al can be used for synthesizing the wisdom and knowledge available.

Prime Minister noted that the Conference reflects India’s tradition of collective thinking and constructive policy dialogue, and that the Chief Secretaries Conference, institutionalised by the Government of India, has become an effective platform for collective deliberation.

Prime Minister emphasised that States should work in tandem with the discussions and decisions emerging from both the Chief Secretaries and the DGPs Conferences to strengthen governance and implementation.

Prime Minister suggested that similar conferences could be replicated at the departmental level to promote a national perspective among officers and improve governance outcomes in pursuit of Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister also said that all States and UTs must prepare capacity building plan along with the Capacity Building Commission. He said that use of Al in governance and awareness on cyber security is need of the hour. States and Centre have to put emphasis on cyber security for the security of every citizen.

Prime Minister said that the technology can provide secure and stable solutions through our entire life cycle. There is a need to utilise technology to bring about quality in governance.

In the conclusion, Prime Minister said that every State must create 10-year actionable plans based on the discussions of this Conference with 1, 2, 5 and 10 year target timelines wherein technology can be utilised for regular monitoring.

The three-day Conference emphasised on special themes which included Early Childhood Education; Schooling; Skilling; Higher Education; and Sports and Extracurricular Activities recognising their role in building a resilient, inclusive and future-ready workforce.

Discussion during the Conference

The discussions during the Conference reflected the spirit of Team India, where the Centre and States came together with a shared commitment to transform ideas into action. The deliberations emphasised the importance of ensuring time-bound implementation of agreed outcomes so that the vision of Viksit Bharat translates into tangible improvements in citizens’ lives. The sessions provided a comprehensive assessment of the current situation, key challenges and possible solutions across priority areas related to human capital development.

The Conference also facilitated focused deliberations over meals on Heritage & Manuscript Preservation and Digitisation; and Ayush for All with emphasis on integrating knowledge in primary healthcare delivery.

The deliberations also emphasised the importance of effective delivery, citizen-centric governance and outcome-oriented implementation to ensure that development initiatives translate into measurable on-ground impact. The discussions highlighted the need to strengthen institutional capacity, improve inter-departmental coordination and adopt data-driven monitoring frameworks to enhance service delivery. Focus was placed on simplifying processes, leveraging technology and ensuring last-mile reach so that benefits of development reach every citizen in a timely, transparent and inclusive manner, in alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

The Conference featured a series of special sessions that enabled focused deliberations on cross-cutting and emerging priorities. These sessions examined policy pathways and best practices on Deregulation in States, Technology in Governance: Opportunities, Risks & Mitigation; AgriStack for Smart Supply Chain & Market Linkages; One State, One World Class Tourist Destination; Aatmanirbhar Bharat & Swadeshi; and Plans for a post-Left Wing Extremism future. The discussions highlighted the importance of cooperative federalism, replication of successful State-level initiatives and time-bound implementation to translate deliberations into measurable outcomes.

The Conference was attended by Chief Secretaries, senior officials of all States/Union Territories, domain experts and senior officers in the centre.