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1. Availability of food: It means food production within the country, food imports and the
previous years stock stored in government granaries.
2. Accessibility : It means food is within reach of every person.
3. Affordability : It implies that an individual has enough money to buy sufficient, safe and
nutritious food to meet one’s dietary needs.
Question. 2. Mention the major features of Public Distribution system of India.
Answer.
1. The PDS has proved to be the most effective instrument of government policy over the
years in stabilising prices and making food available to consumers at affordable prices.
2. It has been instrumental in averting widespread hunger and famine by supplying food
from surplus regions of the country to the deficit ones.
3. The system, including the minimum support price and procurement has contributed to
an increase in foodgrain production and provided income security to farmers in certain
regions.
4. It has minimized hoarding and black marketing.
Question. 3. What are the limitations of the public distribution system ?[CBSE 2015]
Answer.
1. Failed to remove hunger : The PDS has been working for many years but still hunger is
prevailing in the Indian society.
2. Overflowing godowns : The FCI godowns are overflowing with foodgrains. In 2012 the
stock of wheat and rice was 82.3 million tonnes which was much more than the
minimum stock. There is a general consensus that high level of buffer stock of
foodgrains is very undesirable and can be wasteful.
3. Poor foodgrain quality: As most of godowns have more stock than their capacity, this
leads to deterioration in grain quality.
4. Adverse impact on the environment: Due to incentive by the government most of the
states are producing only rice and wheat. The intensive utilization of water in the
cultivation of rice has led to environmental degradation and fall in the water level,
threatening the sustain- ability of the agricultural development in many states.
Question. 4. How is food security ensured in India ?
Answer. Food security in India has two components:
(a) Buffer stock
(b) Public distribution system.
(a) Buffer Stock: Buffer Stock is the stock of foodgrains, namely wheat and rice procured by
the government through Food Corporation of India (FCI). The FCI purchases wheat and rice
from the farmers in states where there is surplus production.
The purchased foodgrains are stored in granaries. This is done to distribute foodgrains in the
deficit areas and among the poorer strata of society at a price lower than the market price,
also known as Issue Price. This helps in resolving the problem of shortage of food.
(b) Public distribution system : The stored food is distributed to the poor people through ration
shops. The items are sold to the poor people at a price lower than the market price.
Other schemes : Over the years, several new programmes have been launched like mid-day
meal, Antyodaya Ana Yojana, etc. for food security.
Question. 5. Why is buffer stock created by the Government ?
Answer.
1. Food security: The main objective of the buffer stock is to distribute the foodgrains in
the deficit areas and among the poorer strata of society at a price lower than the market
price.
2. Disaster or Calamity : The second objective of the buffer stock is to resolve the problem
of shortage of food during adverse weather conditions or during the period of calamity.
3. To save the farmers from the ups and downs of the market: The third important
objective of the buffer stock is to save the farmers from ups and downs of the market.
Under this farmers are paid a preannounced price for their crops. This price is declared
by the government before the sowing season to provide incentives to the farmers.
4. Uninterrupted supply of foodgrains: Buffer stocks are also created by the government
to maintain uninterrupted supply of foodgrains throughout India and throughout the
year.
Question. 6. Write a note on the role of cooperatives in providing food and related
items.
Answer.
1. The cooperatives are also playing an important role in food security in India especially
in the southern and western parts of the country.
2. The cooperative societies set up shops to sell low priced goods to poor people. For
example, out of all fair price shops running in Tamil Nadu, around 94 per cent are being
run by the cooperatives.
3. Many milk purchasing cooperatives like Verka, Mother Dairy, Amul, etc. have brought
about the White Revolution in the country.
4. These are a few examples of many more cooperatives running in different parts of the
country ensuring food security of different sections of society.
Long Answer Type Questions (5 Marks)
Question.1. Discuss the major reasons for poverty in India/CBSE March 2012]
Or
Explain any three causes for the widespread poverty in India.[CBSE March 2012,13,15]
Answer.
1. Stock higher than buffer norms : The actual stock has always remained higher than the
buffer. There is a general consensus that high level of buffer stocks of food- grains is
very undesirable and can be wasteful. The storage of massive food stocks has been
responsible for high carrying costs, in addition to wastage and deterioration in grain
quality.
2. High burden on the economy :
The Minimum Support Price for food grains has risen very sharply in the recent years
leading to a very high burden on state exchequer.
3. Threat to sustainability of agriculture : The intensive utilisation of water in the cultivation
of rice has also led to environmental degrada-tion and fall in the water level, threatening
the sustainability of the agricultural development in many states.
4. Marked ineffectiveness :
Another major area of concern is the marked ineffectiveness of PDS, which is apparent
from the fact that the average consumption of PDS grain at the all-India level is only 1
kg per person per month. The average consumption figure is as low as less than 300
gm per person per month in the states of Bihar, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh.
5. Corrupt dealers: PDS dealers are sometimes found resorting to malpractices like
diverting the grains to open market to get better margin, selling poor quality grains at
ration shops, irregular opening of the shops, etc. It is common to find that ration shops
regularly have unsold stocks of poor quality grains left.
Higher Prefer Thinking Skills (Hots) Questions/Application Based Questions
Question.1. Study the graph and answer the following questions:
(i) In which recent year foodgrain stock with the government was maximum ?
(ii) What was the minimum buffer stock norm in 2012 ?
(iii) Why were the FCI granaries overflowing with foodgrains ?
(iv) What is buffer stock ?
(v) Why is there general consensus that high level of buffer stock of foodgrains is very
undesirable ?
Answer.
1. July, 2012.
2. 33 million tonnes.
3. The PDS or the Public Distribution System has failed to distribute foodgrains through
the fair price shops.
4. A stock of foodgrains procured by the government to distribute in deficit areas and
among the poor strata of society.
5. The higher level of buffer stock can be wasteful. The storage of massive food stock has
been responsible for high carrying costs in adition to wastage and deterioration in grain
quality. Question.1. Which are the people who are prone
to food insecurity in India ?
Answer.
1.
Question.2. Distinguish between chronic and seasonal hunger.
Answer.
Answer.