47. Duty of the State to raise the level of nutrition and the standard of living and to improve public health.—The State shall regard the raising of the level of nutrition and the standard of living of its people and the improvement of public health as among its primary duties and, in particular, the State shall endeavour to bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health.
Most Directive Principles ask the State to ‘endeavour’ or ‘strive.’ Article 47 goes further, calling nutrition, living standards, and public health among the State’s ‘primary duties’ — and adds a specific push toward prohibition.
What Article 47 Directs
- Primary dutyRaising the level of nutrition, the standard of living, and public health are described as among the State’s primary duties — stronger language than most DPSPs..
- Prohibition clauseThe State must specifically endeavour toward prohibiting intoxicating drinks and injurious drugs, except for medicinal use..
- Not enforceableLike every Directive Principle, Article 47 is non-justiciable under Article 37 — no court can compel the State to act on it directly..
- So whatArticle 47 sets the constitutional basis for both public-health policy and India’s various state-level prohibition laws..
The ‘Primary Duty’ Wording
- Unusual phrasingArticle 47 uses ‘primary duties,’ a phrase not repeated elsewhere in Part IV — most Directive Principles say the State shall ‘strive’ or ‘endeavour.’.
- Why it’s testedExams use this to test close reading of DPSP language — Article 47 elevates its goals above the ordinary ‘endeavour’ standard..
- So whatThe distinctive wording does not make Article 47 enforceable — it remains a Directive Principle, just phrased more emphatically..
Prohibition in Practice
- State-level lawsSeveral States, including Gujarat and Bihar, have enacted full or partial prohibition on alcohol, citing Article 47 as their constitutional basis..
- Not a total ban nationwideArticle 47 directs the State toward prohibition as a goal — it does not itself impose a national alcohol ban..
- So whatAlcohol policy remains a State subject; Article 47 supplies the constitutional justification States rely on when they choose prohibition..
Work through practice questions on Article 47 and public health policy, then keep practising with a random Indian Polity question.
Reading 47 Into Article 21
- Vincent Panikurlangara, 1987The Supreme Court read Article 47’s public-health goal together with Article 21, strengthening the case for a right to health..
- Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity, 1996The Court held that failure to provide timely emergency medical treatment in a government hospital violates the right to life under Article 21..
- So whatThough Article 47 itself is unenforceable, courts have used it alongside Article 21 to build an effectively enforceable right to health..
Which DPSP Is Called a ‘Primary Duty’?
- QuestionExams ask which Directive Principle specifically describes its goals as among the State’s primary duties..
- AnswerArticle 47 — covering nutrition, standard of living, and public health..
- TrapOptions naming Article 38 or 39, which use ordinary DPSP language, are wrong — the ‘primary duty’ phrase is unique to 47..
Public Health Policy Still Cites Article 47
- DevelopmentNational nutrition missions and public health programmes continue to be framed as fulfilling Article 47’s directive..
- Why it mattersIt remains the standard constitutional reference point whenever new nutrition or public-health policy is announced..
- So whatCurrent-affairs questions linking a new health or nutrition scheme to its constitutional basis point back to Article 47..
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