Legal and Policy Framework Governing Food and Nutrition Security in India: A Critical Analysis

Author(s): SK Sahil

Abstract:

Food and nutrition security are very essential to live life with human dignity and overall nation’s development. Though India is a food surplus country, it continues to struggle with high levels of hunger and malnutrition. According to the Global Hunger Index 2025 India ranks 102 among 123 countries reflecting a serious gap between food availability and food access. The Indian Constitution under article 21 recognized the right to life which the apex court of India has already interpreted the right to food is the part of right to life. Article 47 further outlines moral responsibility of the state to improve public health and nutrition level. However, the continued existence of food crisis, unsafe food and undernutrition food raises questions about how efficiently existing laws and policies are operating on the ground. This study critically analyses the legal and policy framework that governs food and nutrition security in India. The central focus is the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 which establishes scientific standards for food safety determines what qualifies as food, regulates misleading representation and stipulates penalties for infringements. The analysis also incorporates the National Food Security Act, 2013 and the Insecticides Act, 1968 both of which are significant in facilitating access to safe and nutritious food. The study is doctrinal in nature and based on an analytical, descriptive and historical approach. It uses both primary sources including statutes, constitutional provisions, and relevant case laws and secondary sources such as academic books, research articles, journals and electronic resources etc. The study finds that although India has a strong legal and policy framework but various data reflects that enforcement remains suboptimal. Consequently, food and nutrition insecurity continue to exist in spite of having strong laws and policies. The gap between what is stated in law and what people experience on the ground is still broad and immediate reforms in implementation and monitoring transparency are needed.

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