Leveraging Demographic Data for Comprehensive Analysis of the National Food Security Act 2013: Implementation Assessment and Policy Defects in NCT Of Delhi

Abstract

The National Food Security Act of 2013 (NFSA) was a major initiative by the Indian government to combat hunger and malnutrition by providing subsidized food grains to a substantial part of the population. The success of the NFSA also depends on the appropriate identification of the right households as eligible and the distribution of the benefits in an effective way issues that are compounded in a fragmented and densely populated city such as Delhi. By an assessment of the NFSA against demographic statistics, this study aims to identify gaps in the system and which parts of the population are likely to be left behind. The study takes into consideration how issues of age, marital status, size of the family, level of education, and level of income influence the eligibility for and access to food aid in Delhi. The results show wide gaps in targeting the most vulnerable sections, as well as gaps in the current policy process. To solve these problems, the paper suggests the use of more flexible beneficiary identification processes, the use of different demographic factors, and tailoring the program to suit the conditions of Delhi.