Bhubaneswar: Odisha has ranked number 1 in the State Ranking Index for the National Food Security Act (NFSA) under general category states as per a report brought out by the Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution (MoCAF&PD), Government of India (Gol) in technical collaboration with MicroSave Consulting (MSC).
NFSA covers up to 50% of India’s urban population and up to 75% of India’s rural population through a well-established Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). A joint responsibility between the Central and State/UT Governments, the scale of TPDS operations makes it one of the most extensive food assistance programs in the world.
Some key TPDS reforms have had a tremendous impact on the design and implementation of the program. TPDS has become more efficient while leakages have
been plugged due to digitization efforts.
Digitization includes end-to-end computerization, Aadhaar seeding of ration cards, and the use of electronic Know YourCustomer (eKYC). Additionally, the recent execution of the One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) has enabled the portability of Ration Cards, which has empowered India’s migrant population by providing them access to their entitled foodgrains anywhere in the country.
Given the scale and complexity of the program, the government needed to develop an Index that would evaluate the implementation of NFSA and TPDS operations across the states and union territories. The Index rests upon three pillars that consider various facets of food security and nutrition. Each pillar has parameters and sub-parameters that support this evaluation.
The first pillar measures coverage of NFSA, rightful targeting, and implementation of all provisions under NFSA. The second pillar analyzes the delivery platform while considering the allocation of foodgrains, their movement, and last-mile delivery to Fair Price Shops (FPS). The final pillar focuses on nutrition initiatives of the department.
Findings from the exercise revealed that moststates and union territories have fared well in
digitization, Aadhaar seeding, and ePoS installation, which reiterates the strength and scale of the reforms. However, states and union territories can improve their performance in a few areas.
Overall, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and AndhraPradesh scored the highest and secured the top three positions in the Index. The states performed very well on all the parameters and indicators governing the implementation of NFSA through TPDS.
Among the special category states (the North Eastern states, Himalayan states, and the Island states), Tripura, Himachal pradesh and Sikkim obtained the top positions. Despite the logistical limitations in these areas, they displayed a high degree of accomplishment in competing with the general category states as well.
In terms of coverage, targeting, and implementing provisions of NFSA—Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman Diu scored the highest, with obtaining nearly full indicator level scores. Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana had the best delivery platform displaying the efficiency of TPDS supply chain.
