7 FACTS about the ambitious Food Bill

Even as frenzied debate continues over the Food Security Bill ordinance in Parliament, here are 7 facts that you must know about the legislation.

Priority households will be entitled to 7 kg of subsidised foodgrains per person per month. General households will be entitled to at least 3 kg.

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The Bill proposes foodgrain entitlements for up to 75 percent of the rural and up to 50 percent of the urban population.  Of these, at least 46 percent of the rural and 28 percent of the urban population will be designated as priority households.  The rest will be designated as general households.

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Pregnant women and lactating mothers will be entitled to meals and maternity benefits of not less than Rs 6000. Earlier provision of maternity benefits of Rs 1000 per month for six months has been amended to allow flexibility in implementation and also allow future revision in the amount payable. The recommendation of the Standing Committee to restrict it to two children only has not been accepted by the government.

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Children in the age of 6 months to 14 years will be entitled to meals under ICDS and Mid-Day Meal Schemes for which nutritional norms have already been prescribed. The eldest women of the household of age 18 years or above will be the head of the household for the purpose of issuing ration cards. It means the mother becomes the head of the family.

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The total food grain requirement for implementation of National Food Security is estimated to be around 62 million tons. 

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The estimated food subsidy for the implementation of the National Food Security Bill, 2013-14 is Rs 1,24,827 crore

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Number of persons to be covered will be on the basis of the population of 2011 census. Within the coverage determined for each state, governments are required to identify households. In the original National Food Security Bill, guideline for identification was to be provided by the central government.

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