Context:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) in New Delhi on November 3, 2025, calling upon India’s scientific community to steer the nation towards nutrition security. He emphasized the need to move beyond ensuring food availability to guaranteeing that every citizen has access to nutrient-rich, safe, and affordable food. The Prime Minister also urged scientists to develop biofortified crops, innovate in clean energy storage, and map India’s genomic biodiversity to advance personalized medicine.

• • The ESTIC marks a shift in India’s scientific ecosystem, replacing the century-old Indian Science Congress. It aims to create a collaborative roadmap linking science, agriculture, nutrition, and technology to address national challenges in food and health.

India’s Progress in Food and Agriculture:

• • Over the past decade, India has witnessed remarkable gains in food production and agricultural diversification. Foodgrain output has grown by nearly 90 million metric tonnes, while fruit and vegetable production has increased by around 64 million metric tonnes. The country now ranks first in milk and millet production and second globally in fruits, vegetables, and fisheries. Honey and egg production have also doubled since 2014, reflecting broad-based agricultural growth.
  • India’s agricultural exports have almost doubled in the last 11 years, strengthening its position as a major global food supplier. These achievements underscore the country’s success in achieving food security—ensuring the availability of food for its vast population. However, the challenge now lies in ensuring nutrition security, which requires improving the quality of diets and addressing micronutrient deficiencies.

Why Nutrition Security Matters?

Nutrition security goes beyond filling stomachs—it ensures that people consume a balanced diet containing essential vitamins and minerals for good health. India continues to face significant nutrition challenges despite its food abundance.

• • The ICMR has reported a 25% increase in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) between 1990 and 2016, many linked to poor dietary habits.
  • Around one-third of the world’s population suffering from micronutrient deficiency lives in India.
  • Although child stunting has declined from 38% (2015–16) to 35% (2019–21), it remains alarmingly high among children under five.

Compounding the problem, nutrient loss in soil and crops, combined with the presence of toxic metals like arsenic and chromium, has made staple grains less nutritious. This has led to higher risks of diseases related to neurological, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal systems.

Key Government Initiatives for Food and Nutrition Security:

1. National Food Security & Nutrition Mission (NFSNM): Originally launched in 2007–08 as the National Food Security Mission (NFSM), the scheme aimed to boost the production of rice, wheat, and pulses through productivity improvement, soil restoration, and farmer empowerment.

• • • In 2024–25, it was expanded and renamed as the National Food Security & Nutrition Mission (NFSNM) to integrate nutritional outcomes alongside crop productivity. This shift reflects the government’s intent to enhance both food quantity and nutritional value, especially through biofortified and climate-resilient crops.

2. National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013: The NFSA remains the cornerstone of India’s food distribution system. It legally entitles up to 75% of the rural and 50% of the urban population (about 81.35 crore people) to subsidized foodgrains.

• • • Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households receive 35 kg per month, while Priority households get 5 kg per person per month.
    • Currently, nearly 79 crore beneficiaries are covered, ensuring that food reaches the poorest families consistently. Together, the NFSNM and NFSA ensure that India’s food security system supports both production and distribution, linking agriculture with social welfare.

3. Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY): Initially launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, PMGKAY provided free foodgrains to NFSA beneficiaries to cushion economic distress. The scheme has since evolved into a long-term safety net.

• • • From January 2024, the government extended the free foodgrain scheme for five years at an estimated cost of ₹11.8 lakh crore, fully funded by the Centre. This move ensures that no household falls back into hunger due to inflation or income shocks.

4. PM POSHAN (Poshan Shakti Nirman) Scheme: Earlier known as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, PM POSHAN aims to improve child nutrition and school attendance by providing hot cooked meals to students in government and aided schools up to age 14.

• • • It enhances learning outcomes, reduces dropout rates, and promotes social equity. The scheme received 22.96 lakh metric tonnes of rice and wheat allocation in FY 2024–25, reflecting its scale and priority in the national nutrition agenda.

5. Rice Fortification Initiative: To combat widespread micronutrient deficiencies, India has implemented rice fortification across all major welfare schemes. Fortified rice contains iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12, addressing anemia and other deficiencies.

• • • The programme began as a pilot in 2019 and was scaled up nationwide in phases. By March 2024, 100% of rice distributed under PMGKAY, NFSA, ICDS, and PM POSHAN was fortified.
    • The Cabinet has recently approved the continuation of fortified rice supply till December 2028, with ₹17,082 crore in central funding—making it one of the largest food fortification drives in the world.

Technology-Driven Reforms in Public Distribution:

The government is modernising the Public Distribution System (PDS) to enhance efficiency, transparency, and portability.

• • SMART-PDS Initiative: The SMART-PDS (Scheme for Modernization and Reforms through Technology) is being rolled out by December 2025. It aims to digitize procurement, supply chain management, ration card systems, and biometric grain distribution.
  • Mera Ration 2.0: Launched in August 2024, this upgraded mobile app provides real-time information on ration entitlements and nearby fair price shops. Over 1 crore downloads show growing digital adoption.

Other reforms include:

• • • 100% digitization of ration cards and beneficiary databases.
    • 99.9% Aadhaar seeding for authentication.
    • Biometric-enabled Fair Price Shops (FPS) for transparent transactions.
    • One Nation, One Ration Card (ONORC) initiative, ensuring portability across states.

Ensuring Market Stability and Self-Reliance:

• • Open Market Sales Scheme (OMSS-D): The OMSS(D) helps regulate food grain prices by selling surplus wheat and rice in the open market. It ensures availability, controls inflation, and keeps food affordable. Under this, the government launched Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice brands to provide staples at subsidized rates to consumers.
  • Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses: Launched in October 2025 with a ₹11,440 crore budget, this mission aims to achieve self-sufficiency in pulses by 2031. It targets a 35 lakh hectare expansion in cultivation and benefits around two crore farmers, aligning with the twin goals of nutritional and economic security.

Showcasing Global Leadership:

• • At World Food India 2025, held in September, India projected itself as a “Global Food Hub”, attracting over 90 participating countries and 2,000 exhibitors. The event highlighted India’s advances in food processing, sustainability, and innovation-driven agriculture.
  • Adding to this recognition, the WWF Living Planet Report praised the Indian Thali as one of the world’s most sustainable and nutritious diets. The largely plant-based Indian diet minimizes resource use and emissions, demonstrating how traditional food systems can support both health and environmental sustainability.

Conclusion:

India’s journey from food security to nutrition security reflects a broader transformation, one that integrates science, innovation, and welfare. The country has not only increased food production but is now focused on ensuring that the food is safe, nutritious, and equitably distributed. With initiatives like the National Food Security & Nutrition Mission, rice fortification, PM POSHAN, and SMART-PDS, India is building a resilient framework that combines agricultural productivity, public health, and digital governance.