Resource detail

The Chhattisgarh Food Security Act (CFSA) was passed on 21 December 2012. The purpose of this Act is to ensure access to adequate quantity of food and the requirement of good nutrition to the people of the state, at affordable prices to live a life of dignity at all times.

The CFSA covers the public distribution system (PDS), school meals, anganwadis (including take-home rations for pregnant/lactating women and children under three) and free meals for the destitute and homeless. It excludes 10 per cent of households from the PDS.

The main provisions of the Act are as follows:

PDS: The Act divides households into four groups: Antyodaya, Priority, General and Excluded households.

Apart from the PDS, the Act defines different entitlements for different groups. These groups are: Pregnant and Lactating Mothers; Children aged 6 months to 3 years; Children aged 3 years to 6 years; Children in Lower Primary Classes; Children in Upper Primary Classes; Children aged 6 months to 6 years
who are malnourished; Residents in Hostels and Aashrams; Destitute and Homeless Persons; Disaster-affected persons, Households suffering from hunger.

Other significant provisions of the Act are:

1. The eldest adult woman of the family will be considered as the head of the household for the purpose of the ration card. If a household doesn’t have an adult woman, then the eldest man may be considered as head of the household.

2. The Services under the Act are notified under the Chhattisgarh Lok Sewa Guarantee Act, 2011.

3. Doorstep delivery of all food items to the ration shops and end-to-end computerisation of records will be done.

4. Preference will be given to preference to public institutions or public bodies such as Gram Panchayats, Self Help Groups, Co-operatives and prohibition of private traders in licensing of fair price shops.

5. Transparency and accountability through disclosure of records related to targeted PDS; conduct periodical social audit by local bodies; formation of Vigilance Committee.

6. The state government has to notify, within six months, schemes that will give effect to all the new entitlements defined under the Act.