GK Question

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Article 47 directs the State to raise level of nutrition and improve public health, and the National Food Security Act, 2013 operationalizes this by providing subsidized food grains to ______% of rural population and 50% of urban population through PDS, ICDS, mid-day meals.

  1. 50
  2. 75
  3. 90
  4. 100

Answer: 75

Article 47 nutrition, public health, and NFSA: (a) Article 47 text: State shall regard raising level of nutrition, standard of living of people, improvement of public health as among its primary duties; endeavor to bring about prohibition of intoxicating drinks, drugs injurious to health, (b) NFSA operationalization: (i) Coverage: Provides subsidized food grains to 75% of rural population, 50% of urban population through Targeted PDS, (ii) Entitlements: 5 kg per person per month at subsidized prices (₹3/2/1 per kg for rice/wheat/coarse grains), (iii) Special provisions: ICDS for children 0-6, pregnant women, lactating mothers; mid-day meals in schools; maternity benefits (₹6,000), (c) Nutrition and public health dimensions: (i) Food security: Ensures access to adequate, nutritious food; addresses hunger, malnutrition, (ii) Health outcomes: Improved nutrition enhances child development, maternal health, disease resistance; reduces infant, maternal mortality, (iii) Social justice: Prioritizes vulnerable groups (SC/ST, women, children) to address historical disadvantage, (d) Applications: (i) PDS reforms: Aadhaar seeding, e-PoS, online grievance redressal enhance transparency, efficiency in food distribution, (ii) Convergence: Coordination with MGNREGA, PMAY, health schemes enables holistic approach to poverty alleviation, human development, (iii) Pandemic response: NFSA provided critical safety net during COVID-19; free food grains for all PDS beneficiaries expanded coverage, (e) Challenges: (i) Leakage: Pilferage, corruption in PDS require technological solutions, social audit, accountability mechanisms, (ii) Nutritional quality: Ensuring diverse, nutritious food through PDS, ICDS requires supply chain improvements, behavior change, (iii) Inclusion: Identifying, reaching eligible beneficiaries (migrants, homeless, disabled) requires targeted outreach, flexible delivery, (f) Illustrates transformative welfare: Article 47 operationalized through NFSA; balance between legal entitlement, effective delivery, nutritional quality essential for realizing constitutional vision of healthy, dignified life for all.

Topic Article 47 - Nutrition, Public Health, and NFSA
Exam Relevance Article 47 NFSA frequently asked in UPSC and current affairs exams