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NFSA Coverage Relies on 2011 Census Data; 80.56 Crore Beneficiaries Covered Against 81.35 Crore Target

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCSSC GATeachingPrelims HighMains MediumStatic GK Link
16 Mar 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:81.35 crore80.56 crore0.79 crore2011 CensusRice: ₹3/kgWheat: ₹2/kg
Bodies:Parliamentary Standing Committee on Consumer, Food and Public Distribution
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.A Parliamentary Standing Committee flagged the reliance on 2011 Census data for NFSA coverage, which could exclude growing and vulnerable populations.

2.Current coverage is 80.56 crore beneficiaries against a target of 81.35 crore, leaving 0.79 crore eligible persons unidentified.

3.The committee urged a time-bound database update, linking to Section 9 of the NFSA, a critical point for Polity and Governance questions.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

A Parliamentary committee warns that using outdated 2011 Census data for the National Food Security Act (NFSA) risks excluding vulnerable households. It recommends an urgent database update to identify the remaining 0.79 crore eligible beneficiaries, highlighting a key governance and social justice issue for exams.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

NFSA Intended Coverage81.35 crore people
Current NFSA Beneficiaries80.56 crore
Eligible Persons Uncovered0.79 crore
NFSA Enactment Year2013
NFSA Subsidized PricesRice: ₹3/kg, Wheat: ₹2/kg, Coarse Cereals: ₹1/kg
Committee ChairpersonKanimozhi Karunanidhi (DMK)

1-Minute Revision

  • ›NFSA Intended Coverage: 81.35 crore people
  • ›Current NFSA Beneficiaries: 80.56 crore
  • ›Target this Data: 80.56 crore (current beneficiaries) vs 81.35 crore (target).
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Standing Committee on Consumer, Food and Public Distribution.
  • ›Target this Legal Point: Section 9 of the NFSA, 2013.

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

The Parliamentary Standing Committee report mentioned in the news pertains to which Ministry/Department?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013:

1. It provides coverage to up to 75% of the urban population and up to 50% of the rural population.

2. Section 9 of the Act deals with the coverage of population under the Targeted Public Distribution System.

3. The intended coverage of 81.35 crore persons is based on the population estimates of the 2011 Census.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the Parliamentary Committee report, how many eligible persons are yet to be identified and included under the NFSA scheme?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary concern raised by the Parliamentary Committee regarding the NFSA's implementation?

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