UPSC 2018: With reference to the provisions made under the National Food Security Act, 2013, consider the following statements: 1. The families coming under the category of 'below poverty line (BPL)' only are eligible to receive subsidised food grains. 2. The eldest woman in a household, of age 18 years or above, shall be the head of the household for the purpose of issuance of a ration card. 3. Pregnant women and lactating mothers are entitled to a 'take-home ration' of 1600 calories per day during pregnancy and for six months thereafter. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Under NFSA coverage is based on ‘priority’/AAY households covering 75 % of rural and 50 % of urban population, not only BPL families, so Statement 1 is wrong ([nfsa.gov.in](https://www.nfsa.gov.in/portal/Salient_Features_NFSA_AA?utm_source=openai)). Section 13 of the Act designates the eldest woman (≥18 yrs) in an eligible household as head for issue of ration card, so Statement 2 is correct ([indiankanoon.org](https://indiankanoon.org/doc/193125601/?utm_source=openai)). Schedule II fixes the nutritional standard for pregnant/lactating women at about 600 kcal take-home ration, not 1600 kcal, so Statement 3 is wrong ([advocatekhoj.com](https://www.advocatekhoj.com/library/bareacts/nationalfood2013/schedule2.php?STitle=Nutritional+Standards&Title=National+Food+Security+Act%2C+2013&utm_source=openai)).