A two-day national workshop on “12 Years of the National Food Security Act (NFSA): Reflecting on Implementation, Exclusion and the Future of Food Rights” concluded yesterday at the National Law University Odisha (NLUO), Cuttack.
The event was organised by the Centre for Tribal Studies, NLUO, in collaboration with the Right to Food Campaign, SAATHII, LibTech India, Aviyan, Rupayaan, and other civil society organisations.
The workshop brought together academics, lawyers, researchers, activists, and community representatives to review the NFSA’s implementation in Odisha and across India. Enacted in 2013, the Act made food a legal entitlement. Despite Odisha’s early leadership in public distribution system (PDS) reforms, participants noted the absence of a comprehensive review in recent years.
The workshop was inaugurated by Professor Rangin P Tripathy, Vice-Chancellor of NLUO, who reminded the gathering that hunger and malnutrition are not just governance challenges but also matters of national dignity.
“Institutions like NLUO must serve as spaces where law, policy, and lived realities converge to ensure justice. Workshops like this are part of the larger struggle to make sure no citizen goes hungry,” he said.
Setting the tone, Dr. Suvrashree Panda of NLUO described the NFSA as a landmark that converted food into a right, but warned that exclusions—particularly among tribal communities—persist. Sameet Panda, representing the Right to Food Campaign, stressed that beyond legal entitlements, the real test lies in grievance redressal, accountability, and ensuring that benefits reach the last person on the ground.
The workshop featured interventions from leading voices including Harsh Mander, Anjali Bharadwaj, Dr. Rajendran Narayanan, Biraj Patnaik, Sachin Jain, Jagadanand, James Heranj, Dr. Bikash Das, Devahuti Sarkar, Rahul Mukkera, Anupama Rout, Dhaneswar, Mantu Das, Sourav Bhattacharjee, Gourang Mohapatra, Sandeep Kumar Patnaik, and Dr. Prajna Paramita Giri.
Harsh Mander spoke of the human cost of hunger, recalling families forced to eat less or rely on “pseudo meals.” He stressed that while the NFSA saved millions during the pandemic, its implementation remains “reluctant and partial.”
Anjali Bharadwaj highlighted the urgent need for grievance redressal and transparency, warning that the NFSA risks becoming “a law only on paper.” Dr. Rajendran Narayanan underlined the importance of community-led monitoring, while Biraj Patnaik reiterated that the right to food is a fundamental right, not an act of charity.
Community testimonies reinforced these concerns. Dhaneswar described the exclusion of transgender persons despite their legal recognition. Anupama Rout highlighted how women in remote areas are denied maternity entitlements and ICDS services. Mantu Das added that many persons with disabilities continue to be left out of food and nutrition support.
From the deliberations, five clear priorities emerged: matching political will with budgetary commitment; addressing digital and Aadhaar-linked exclusions; strengthening social audits and grievance redressal; recognising food sovereignty and indigenous food systems; and treating the NFSA as a rights-based guarantee linked to justice and equity.
The workshop concluded with a collective call for renewed state commitment to realise the promise of the NFSA through political, financial, and administrative action. Participants emphasised that hunger and malnutrition are not inevitable but reflect gaps in governance.