On Tuesday, July 5, 2022, the Department of Food and Public Distribution will host a one-day National Conference on Food and Nutrition Security in India in New Delhi. The conference aims to facilitate cross-learning, disseminate best practises for Public Distribution System (PDS) schemes, and strengthen the focus on nutritional security.
Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Minister of State (CA,F&PD), and Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State (Commerce & Industry) will address the conference alongside Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Commerce & Industry, and Textiles (CA, F&PD). State/UT Ministers of Food and Civil Supplies would also attend the conference.
The conference's main highlights would be a discussion on food fortification, food basket diversification, crop diversification, an integrated Annavitran Portal 2.0, and reforms in the PDS and storage sectors. Best practises in some of the states will also be shared for widespread replication.
The conference will provide a forum for participants to reflect on the challenges and opportunities for transforming the country's food and nutrition security ecosystem in the true spirit of cooperative federalism.
Under the National Food Security Act of 2013, India's Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) is the world's largest public food-security programme. This system manages the food security needs of approximately 80 crore beneficiaries across India via a nationwide network of more than 5.33 lakh fair price shops.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government's food security response through Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) combined with One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) served as a lifeline for the people and is being hailed globally as a shining example for its efficiency and sensitivity towards poor and vulnerable sections of society.
