NAC recommendations to address hunger, malnutrition


The sixth meeting of the National Advisory Council, chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Saturday finalised its recommendations to address the problems of hunger and malnutrition in the country.

Some of the important recommendations:

– Legal entitlements to subsidised foodgrains should be extended to 90 percent rural population and 50 percent urban population.

– The priority households should have a monthly entitlement of 35 kg at a subsidised price of Re.1 per kg for millets, Rs.2 for wheat and Rs.3 for rice.

– The general households should have a monthly entitlement of 20 kg at a price not exceeding 50 percent of the current Minimum Support Price for millets, wheat and rice.

– The minimum coverage and entitlements as well as prices should remain unchanged at least until the end of the 12th Five Year Plan.

– Government should specify the criteria for categorisation of population into priority and general households.

– In the first phase, food entitlements should be extended to 85 percent of the rural population and 40 of the urban population.

– Full coverage of food entitlements should be extended to all by March 31, 2014.

– Legal entitlement for child and maternal nutrition

– Community kitchens

– Programmes for feeding destitute and vulnerable groups.

– Measures for revitalizing agriculture

– Diversification of the commodities available under the Public Distribution System (PDS)

– Ensure universal access to safe water and proper sanitation

– Universalization of primary health care

– Extension of nutrition and health support to adolescent girls

– Strengthen the school health programme

– National programme for creches.

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