The Chhattisgarh Food and Nutrition Act: A lesson in policy innovation

In a country where social welfare schemes are often plagued with chronic corruption, poor governance and lax implementation, Chhattisgarh’s food security model is a beacon for the resolution of a grave socio-economic issue using policy innovation. According to state provisions, entitlements are provided either under the state or federal law, depending on whichever is greater.

● In 2007, the Chhattisgarh government expanded coverage under the public distribution system with the Mukhyamantri Khadyanna Sahayata Yojana.  

● It encapsulates the right to food items at subsidized prices under 3 categories: antyodaya, priority and general households

i) nutritional support to pregnant/lactating mothers

ii) nutritional support to children and students living in hostels/ashrams

iii) prevention and management of child malnutrition

● The Food Security scheme was launched in February 2008. The 3.5 million people enrolled in the scheme were entitled to INR 35 kg of rice at 1NR 3 per kg.

● In 2012, the Chhattisgarh Food and Nutrition Security Act was launched to cover almost 90% of the state’s population with cheap food grains.

● Pulses and iodized salt are also provided to vulnerable households and families of construction workers and landless labourers.

● The national public distribution system (PDS) entitles only 33% of the households in Chhattisgarh to free grain from the central government.

● The enactment of the national food law would entail that 78% of the households would be entitled to 22.5 kgs of cheap grains.

Under the 2012 Act, the entitlements are provided to each household and the woman is considered the head of the household. Special entitlements are provided to children, pregnant and lactating mothers, migrants, homeless, destitute as well as those affected by disasters. The ration shops were de-privatized and the management of the PDS outlets was given to female self-help groups, in addition to other community-based organizations like gram panchayats and cooperative societies. Thus, the community organizations replaced the private entities for the last mile delivery in the public distribution. Moreover, all the shops that were allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats were given interest-free loans of INR 75,000. In this manner, gender and socio-economic concerns have been taken into account in Chhattisgarh’s conception of food security.

In order to curtail any leakages or diversions of the food supplies, yellow government and private trucks directly deliver the food items to the doorsteps of the ration shops, thereby ensuring that they are stocked on a timely basis. Financial viability of the ration shops is ensured by paying higher commissions to the shop owners and gram panchayats.

The Chhattisgarh state government has also been a pioneer in the adoption of digital technology for the effective delivery of food supplies. In 2007, the entire PDS was computerized in order to strictly monitor the movement and levels stocks/inventories across all the shops and warehouses in the states. To address the issue of forgeries, the ration cards were also computerized with only centrally printed ration cards being distributed to the beneficiaries. A toll-free telephone helpline was also set up and the community was involved in the monitoring process to ensure transparency.

Thus, a government that is ideologically deemed “conservative” has actually taken progressive measures to conceptualize an elaborate food security model, underpinned by seemingly liberal ideals. The Chhattisgarh food security model truly exemplifies the motif of inclusive development or “sabka sath sabka vikas.” The  Chhattisgarh CM’s commitment (in conversation with Dr. Raman Singh) to ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition is reflected Sustainable Development Goal 2 that aims to end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030 by making sure that everyone has access to sufficient nutritious food all year round.

source https://www.indiaoutbound.org/the-chhattisgarh-food-and-nutrition-act-a-lesson-in-policy-innovation/