The text of National Food Security Act mentions it as an act provide for food and nutrition security in "Human Life Cycle approach". Expand the meaning of human life cycle approach in this context.

The National Food Security Act is an act of the parliament of India that is aimed at providing subsidized food grains to almost two-thirds of the country’s population. It converts into the legal prerogative of other food security schemes viz. Midday Meal Scheme, ICDS scheme, and the PDS.

Human life cycle approach

The human life cycle approach implies that the Food Security Act provides legal right to appropriate food throughout the entire life cycle of a human being starting from pregnancy to older age. It ensures the “Right to Food” at every stage of a person’s life.

The stages

• The State Government will provide nutritious and freshly cooked meals, free of charge to all pregnant and nursing women other than the government servant during pregnancy and 6 months thereafter through the local Anganwadis maintaining the nutrition standards as well as maternity benefits of Rs. 1000 per month, for a period of six months.
• The State Government shall provide nutritious food to all children in the age group of 0 – 3 years and cooked meals for at least 300 days in a year to all children in the age group of 3 to 6 years.
• The Government will provide nutritious midday meal to the children of the age group 6 to 14 years in all schools run by local bodies, government and government-aided schools up to Class 8 or beyond, as may be specified by the central and state governments from time to time.
• The eligible person above 14 years will get Rice for Rs. 3 per Kg, Wheat for Rs. 2 per Kg, and Coarse Grains for Rs. per 1 Kg per month subject to a maximum of 5 Kg per month.

Comment

National Food Security Act aims at covering all age groups and the needy people to alleviate the problem of hunger in India and thereby strengthening the food security of India.

Topics: GS-IV: Ethics and Human Interface