CHENNAI — Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has formally written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the Central Government to reconsider proposed amendments to the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013. The Chief Minister warned that the draft legislation could drastically cut essential foodgrain allocations for nearly 70 lakh of the state’s most vulnerable citizens, disproportionately penalizing states with smaller family sizes.
The Core Policy Shift: Household vs. Per-Capita Allocation
The dispute centers on a fundamental structural change in how food security is calculated under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)—the central scheme targeting the poorest of the poor.
The table below contrasts the current framework against the proposed changes outlined in the draft National Food Security (Amendment) Bill, 2026:
| Parameter | Current NFSA Framework | Proposed 2026 Amendment |
| Allocation Model | Fixed Household-Based: 35 kg of foodgrains per month per family. | Per-Capita Metric: 7 kg of foodgrains per person per month. |
| Upper Limit | No person-based limits; flat 35 kg regardless of size. | Capped at a maximum ceiling of 35 kg per household. |
| Centre’s Rationale | Existing baseline since the inception of the Act. | Aims to eliminate intra-category inequities and align with exact nutritional needs. |
Why the Amendment Disadvantages Southern States
Chief Minister Vijay pointed out a major structural flaw in applying a per-capita metric with a household cap, noting that it creates an unintended geographical disadvantage.
Because Tamil Nadu has an average family size of 3.54 members—a direct result of decades of successful population stabilization and family planning programs—the shift from a flat 35 kg per household to 7 kg per person would trigger a sharp drop in actual food supply.
Projected Impact on Tamil Nadu’s PDS Infrastructure:
-
Cardholder Demographics: Tamil Nadu services 18.64 lakh AAY ration cards, covering a vulnerable population of 69.27 lakh beneficiaries (including widows, senior citizens without regular income, persons with disabilities, and landless agricultural laborers).
-
Supply Drop: The state currently receives 65,261 metric tonnes of free rice, wheat, and ragi monthly from the Centre for these beneficiaries. Under the proposed 7 kg per-capita calculation, the state’s central grain allocation would plummet to approximately 42,040 metric tonnes—a net loss of over 23,000 metric tonnes per month.
Warnings of Rising Malnutrition and Financial Strain
In his appeal for the Prime Minister’s direct intervention, Vijay stressed that the subsidized rice distributed through the Public Distribution System (PDS) forms the staple for all three daily meals for these marginalized households.
“The practical effect will be a substantial reduction in the quantum of foodgrains reaching the poorest households of Tamil Nadu,” Vijay argued.
He cautioned that forcing impoverished families to substitute this deficit by buying grain from the open market would spike out-of-pocket food expenditures, potentially reversing progress made against malnutrition and pushing vulnerable populations back into financial distress. The Chief Minister requested that the long-standing, unconditional household entitlement of 35 kg per month be fully preserved.
