When was National Food Security Act enacted in India?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 4: 2013.

The National Food Security Act (NFSA) was enacted by the Parliament of India in 2013. This landmark legislation was passed to legally entitle up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population to receive subsidized food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). It aims to provide food and nutritional security by ensuring access to an adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices, allowing people to live a life with dignity. The NFSA 2013 mandates coverage for essential nutritional support schemes like the Midday Meal Scheme and the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), making it a cornerstone of India’s welfare policies.

The incorrect option is 1: 2009.
While the discussions and policy groundwork for a comprehensive food security law were underway around this period, 2009 predates the final legislative process. The NFSA was an outcome of years of policy debate and drafting, succeeding older schemes like the TPDS but elevating food entitlements to a legal right, which was finalized later. The year 2009 marked the beginning of intense pressure and debate on the need for such a strong, rights-based approach, but the Act itself was not passed until four years later.

The incorrect option is 2: 2015.
The year 2015 is incorrect because it is later than the actual enactment date. By 2015, the National Food Security Act had already been in effect for two years, and state governments were actively in the process of rolling it out across the country. While 2015 might be a year associated with its full implementation or certain amendments, it was not the year of its original enactment.

The incorrect option is 3: 2014.
Although 2014 is very close to the correct year, the National Food Security Act was enacted in September 2013. The year 2014 often relates to the subsequent period of rule notification and implementation acceleration following the Act's passage. By 2014, the focus shifted from enactment to operationalizing the complex systems required to deliver food grain entitlements to the massive number of beneficiaries across India.