National Food For Work Programme

The National Food for Work Programme(NFWP), 2004 was launched by minister of rural development, central government on 14 November 2004 in 150 of the most backward districts of India with the objective of generating supplementary wage employment. The programme is open for all Indian poors who are ready to do manual unskilled labour work and are in the need of wage employment. It is implemented as a centrally-sponsored scheme. Food grains are provided to the States free of cost. The transportation cost, handling charges, and taxes on food grains will, however, be the responsibility of the States. It has always been better to supply food grains free of cost instead of distributing money among them. The eligibility criteria was relaxed to provide for both BPL and APL families.[1]

The collector is the primary or nodal officer at the district level and has overall responsibility for planning, implementation .coordination, monitoring and supervision. For 2004-2005, ₹2,020 crore (US$280 million) have been allocated for the programme in addition to 18 million tonnes of food grains.

Meal is provided at work places and also the wages are paid on daily bases.

The programme has since been subsumed in National Rural Employment Guarantee Act of 2005 which has come in force in 200 identified districts of the country including 150 NFFWP districts. MGNREGA is now the chief right based employment guarantee scheme.[2]