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Q25 (IAS/2018) Economy › Schemes, Inclusion & Social Sector › Nutrition and food security Official Key

With reference to the provisions made under the National Food Security Act, 2013, consider the following statements : 1. The families coming under the category of 'below poverty line (BPL)' only are eligible to receive subsidised food grains. 2. 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. 3. 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 ?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: B
Explanation

The correct answer is option B (Statement 2 only).

**Statement 1 is incorrect**: The National Food Security Act, 2013 covers 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population[2], not just BPL families. Before this Act, beneficiaries under TPDS were around 40 crore people[1], but the Act significantly expanded coverage to approximately 84 crore people, going beyond the BPL categorization.

**Statement 2 is correct**: The eldest woman who is not less than 18 years of age, in every eligible household, shall be the head of the household for the purpose of ration cards[3]. This provision ensures women's empowerment in food security administration.

**Statement 3 is incorrect**: While pregnant women and lactating mothers are entitled to free meals during pregnancy and up to six months after child birth through Aanganwadi[4], the specific calorie entitlement is 600 calories of energy and 18–20 grams of proteins per person per day[5], not 1600 calories as stated in the question.

Sources
  1. [1] Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 9: Subsidies > 9.5.3 National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013 > p. 295
  2. [2] Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 9: Agriculture > National Food Security Act, 2013 > p. 334
  3. [3] Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 9: Subsidies > The following are salient features of the National Food Security Act 2013: > p. 296
  4. [4] Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 9: Subsidies > Subsidies > p. 296
  5. [5] https://www.niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2022-06/Take-home-ration-report-30_06_2022.pdf
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. With reference to the provisions made under the National Food Security Act, 2013, consider the following statements : 1. The families co…
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: High fairness Books / CA: 8/10 · 2/10
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This is a textbook 'Flagship Act' question. Statements 1 and 2 are foundational knowledge found in every standard Economy text (NCERT/Singh/Singhania). Statement 3 is a classic 'Data Trap'—swapping a specific technical number (600 kcal) with an exaggerated one (1600 kcal) to test depth.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Under the National Food Security Act, 2013, are subsidised food grains provided only to families classified as Below Poverty Line (BPL)?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 9: Subsidies > 9.5.3 National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013 > p. 295
Presence: 5/5
“The earlier TPDS scheme, with certain changes and additional incentives, has now been converted into the National Food Security Act 2013. The Act is applicable to 75% of the rural population (approx 65 crore) and 50% of the urban population (approx 19 crore) totalling 84 crore people. It requires around 60 MT of total food grains costing 1.90 lakh crore to the centre. Before this Act, beneficiaries under TPDS were around 40 crore people. The beneficiary households have been divided into two categories. • Antyoday Anna Yojana (AAY): 35 kg per month per family @ Rs. 3/kg rice, Rs. 2/kg wheat and Rs.”
Why this source?
  • Directly states NFSA applicability: covers 75% of rural and 50% of urban population (approx 84 crore) — far larger than only BPL.
  • Explains beneficiaries are divided into categories (e.g., AAY), implying multiple beneficiary groups beyond BPL.
Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 9: Agriculture > National Food Security Act, 2013 > p. 334
Presence: 5/5
“NFSA, 2013 extends to the whole of India. • It marks a paradigm shift in the approach to food security from welfare to rights-based \bulletapproach. It includes: • Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). 1.• Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Scheme, launched in 1995 as a centrally sponsored scheme. 2.• Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme, launched in 1975 as a 3. centrally sponsored scheme. \circUnder NFSA, 75 per cent of the rural population and 50 per cent of the urban \circpopulation receive subsidised food grains through TPDS”
Why this source?
  • Says NFSA extends to whole India and specifically that 75% rural and 50% urban populations receive subsidised food grains through TPDS.
  • Frames NFSA as a rights‑based expansion of coverage rather than limited BPL targeting.
Economics, Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: Food Security in India > The National Food Security Act, 2013 > p. 49
Presence: 5/5
“**The National Food Security Act, 2013 This Act provides for food and nutritional security life at affordable prices and enables people to live a life with dignity. Under this act, 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population have been categorised as eligible households for food security. Current Status of Public the Distribution System Public Distribution System (PDS) is the most important step taken by the Government of India (GoI) towards ensuring food security. In the beginning, the coverage of PDS was universal with no discrimination between the poor and the non-poor. Over the years, the policy related to PDS has been revised to make it more efficient and targeted.”
Why this source?
  • NCERT snippet explicitly categorises 75% rural and 50% urban households as eligible under NFSA, showing entitlement is not restricted to BPL alone.
  • Links NFSA to broader food security and PDS coverage evolution (universal → targeted → expanded NFSA quotas).
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