Nagaland Expands Food Security Reach: 71% of Population to Benefit Under New NFSA Guidelines

KOHIMA: In a recent announcement the government of Nagaland disclosed that 70.95% of the states population will be eligible for support under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). This legislation, enacted in 2013 aims to provide assistance to those in need. The initiative is set to benefit 2,37,434 households, which amounts to around 11,93,922 individuals who will receive provisions through the priority household (PHH) scheme. Additionally the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) will extend its support to 47,500 households, translating into 2,09,657 beneficiaries. Its worth noting that based on the census 29.05% of the population falls outside the scope of the NFSA.

The state government has expressed its dedication to maximizing the inclusion of non NFSA beneficiaries by enhancing the allocation process. To achieve this goal it has implemented guidelines for distributing food grains through the targeted public distribution system (TPDS). These measures are essential to ensure that assistance reaches those in need during times of crisis.

Nagaland has 1,852 price shops, with 459 in areas and 1,342 in rural areas. This makes it convenient for beneficiaries to get their allocated supplies. According to the NFSA rice and other food grains will be provided free of charge to PHH and AAY ration card holders until December 2028, as per the instructions from the Government of India.

To improve the distribution system the government announced an extra supply of food grains. This is aimed at maintaining the average distribution levels from the past three years under the normal TPDS scheme. People can purchase this additional allocation at government approved prices based on their needs through stockiest and handling agents appointed by the district.

Notably the guidelines specify that individuals with an income of Rs 2.5 lakh or more who do not qualify for the AAY and PHH schemes but hold general household (GHH) ration cards will also be eligible for the extra rice allocation.

To ensure transparency and accountability in the distribution process information about GHH beneficiaries will be digitized and made available on the departments website.

Through these efforts the government of Nagaland is achieving strides, towards its goal of ensuring food security for its people. This includes supporting vulnerable communities in their journey towards well being.

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