Social safety nets and nutrient deprivation: An analysis of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Program and the Public Distribution System in India

▶ We assess nutritional status of rural households in three large Indian states. ▶ Severe deficiencies exist in respect of macronutrients and micronutrients. ▶ The impacts of NREG and PDS on nutrient intake are found to be large. ▶ Thus, these policies have substantial potential to reduce undernutrition.