JD(S) Wants Maharashtra to Raise NFSA Income Limit to Rs 2.5 Lakh

MUMBAI: The Janata Dal (Secular) has demanded that the Maharashtra government raise the annual income ceiling for eligibility under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) from Rs 59,000 to Rs 2.5 lakh, arguing that the existing limit is outdated and excludes a large number of economically weaker urban families from accessing subsidised food grains.

In a letter to Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, president of Janata Dal (Secular) Mumbai unit, Surendrakumar Bajpai said the current threshold is inconsistent with prevailing minimum wage levels and the high cost of living in urban areas. In the letter, Mr Bajpai warned that if the government fails to revise the eligibility criterion within 30 days, the party will file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the Bombay High Court seeking a writ of mandamus directing the State to amend the eligibility norms.

According to the president of Janata Dal (Secular) Mumbai unit, Maharashtra's income ceiling is significantly lower than those prescribed in several other states. He also claimed that the annual income limit for NFSA eligibility is Rs 2.5 lakh in Delhi, Rs 2 lakh in Uttar Pradesh and Rs 1.5 lakh in urban areas of Gujarat. In comparison, Maharashtra's Rs 59,000 ceiling excludes a large number of deserving families from receiving subsidised food grains.

Mr Bajpai also argued that the State's own minimum wage policy exposes an inconsistency in the existing criterion. He also pointed out that the monthly minimum wage for an unskilled worker in Mumbai and other municipal corporation areas is around Rs 13,921, translating into an annual income of well over Rs 1.6 lakh. “If two members of a household are earning minimum wages, the family's annual income could approach Rs 2.5 lakh, yet such households remain ineligible for ration cards under the present eligibility norms of the NFSA,” he said.

According to the party, the financial burden of providing free food grains under the NFSA and the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) is borne by the Central government. Therefore, revising the income ceiling would not impose any additional financial burden on the State exchequer.

Mr Bajpai said the existing income limit particularly affects low-income urban workers such as auto-rickshaw drivers, domestic workers, security guards and construction labourers, who struggle with rising living costs and high house rents in cities. Therefore, the state government should immediately revise the eligibility criteria in view of prevailing economic conditions.

“If the government fails to take a decision in the next 30 days, the party will move the Bombay High Court challenging the existing eligibility condition, which violates citizens' right to life and food security guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution,” he said.