With reference to the provisions made under the National Food Security Act, 2013, consider the following statements:

1. The families coming under the category of ‘below poverty line (BPL)’ only are eligible to receive subsidised food grains.

2. The eldest woman in a household, of age 18 years or above, shall be the head of the household for the purpose of issuance of a ration card.

3. Pregnant women and lactating mothers are entitled to a ‘take-home ration’ of 1600 calories per day during pregnancy and for six months thereafter.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The correct option is 2 only.

Let us analyze each statement with reference to the provisions of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013:

Statement 1: Incorrect
The National Food Security Act, 2013 does not restrict subsidized food grains only to 'below poverty line (BPL)' families. Instead, it covers up to 75% of the rural population and up to 50% of the urban population under two categories: Priority Households (PHH) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households. Therefore, coverage extends beyond traditional BPL families.

Statement 2: Correct
Under Section 13 of the NFSA, 2013, the eldest woman in an eligible household, of age 18 years or above, shall be designated as the head of the household for the purpose of issuing ration cards. This provision aims to promote women empowerment.

Statement 3: Incorrect
Pregnant women and lactating mothers are entitled to a take-home ration or nutritious hot cooked meal during pregnancy and six months after childbirth. However, as per the prescribed norms under the Act/ICDS, the nutritional entitlement is 600 calories per day (along with 18-20g of protein), not 1600 calories per day.

Therefore, only Statement 2 is correct.