4 FOOD SECURITY

IN INDIA

BASICCONCEPTS AFLOW CHART

FOOD SECURITY

1s as essential for iving as air is for breathing. It mainly means something more than
getting twO square meals.

Availability of Food Accessibility Affordability

Food production within the country. Food is within reach of every Implies when an individual has
food imports and the previous
PE SOn
years stock stored in government enough money to buy sufficient
safe, nutritious food to meet ones
stores dietary needs

BUFFER STOCK

Is the stock of foodgrains, namely wheat and rice, procured by the government through Food Corporation of India
(FCI)

The FCl purchases wheat and nice trom the tarmers in states where there is a Surplus production

The farmers are paid a pre-announced price TOr their crop5 1his price 1s Known as Minimum Support Price (MSP). It is
declared by the government every year berore the sowing season to provide incentives to the farmers.

Reason why government created 'Buffer Stock

This is done to distribute foodgrains

in the Cenicit dired5 dind aimong tne poorEr Strata of the
market price, also known as 1ssue Price. society at a price lower than the

325 EConomicS
 PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYsTEM (PDS)

h e lood proCcured by the FCiis distributecd through government regulated ration shops among the poorer sEction or Uhe

society is known as Pubic: Dstribution System (PDS)

Haton shops are now present in most localities, villages, towns and cities. They are also called Fair Price Shops (FPSS).

These shops keep stock of foodgrains, sugar, kerosene oil for cooling. These items are sold to people at a price
ower than the market
price

Aperson or family requires a Ration Card to buy these items

The Public Distribution System Integrated

Child Development Services Food for Work

IMPORTANT TERMS
Food Security: The state of having reliable access to a sufficient
nutritious food. quantity of affordable,
Availability: The quality of being able to be used or obtained.
Accessibility: The quality of being able to be reached or entered.
Affordability: Ability to be afforded; inexpensiveness.
Calamity: A great misfortune or disaster, as a flood or serious
adversity; misery: the calamity of war. injury, grievous affliction;
Famine: Extreme scarcity of food.
Starvation: Suffering or death caused by lack of food.
Food:
food.
Insecure lacking reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious
Unemployment is a phenomenon that occurs when a
employment is unable to find work person who is actively searching for
Quantity: The standard of something as measured against other things of
the degree ofexcellence of something. a similar kind;
Stock: The
goods or merchandise kept on the
available for sale or distribution. premises of a
shop or warehouse and

Aam idea
Social Sclence-1X 326
 Poverty: The state of
Natural Disasters: being extremely
A natural poor.
great damage or
loss of life. event such
Ent
such as a
flood, earthquake,
Malnutrition: Lack of earthquake,
hurricane that cause
huna or

enougn the right

Or proper nutrition, caused by not
things, being unable or having enough to eat, ating
not edu5
Self-sufticiency
is type of
a
is the
state of not requiring
to the food that one dOes
use
a
personal collective or any aid,
support, interaction for survival,
or

Green-Revolution: A
large increase
autonomy.
the use of in crop
artificial production in developing countries achieved y
fertilizers, pesticides, and
Buffer stock: A high-yield crop
reserve of a
commodity that can
varieties
be used to offset price
Minimum Support Price
(MSP) is price fixed Tiucua
producer-farmers against excessive fall in by Government of India to protecE t
It is
the price during bumper
which is the price at whichproductro ye
concept of procurement
food grains for buffer price,
stocking and PDS purposes through government procue
Fair Price Shops are
distribution FC
commodities like rice, kerosene, channels of Government making available the essenuid
wheat, etc., to common man at controllea
Public Distribution
System: PDS is a government-sponsored chain of prices
with the work of shops,
distributing basic food and non-food commodities to the needyentrusted
of the society at sections
very cheap prices.
Ration Card: An official document
other goods. entitling the holder to a ration of food, clothes, or
Mid-day Meal is a school meal
programme of the Government of India,
improve the nutritional status of designed to
schoo-age children nationwide.

NCERT Exercises
19LHow is food security ensured in India?
Ans. Food security is ensured in India by having the availability
of food to all sections of
the society.
The Indian government has tormed initiatives ot buter stock and public distribution system. The
government has also started various poverty alleviation programmes such as Integrated Child
Development Services, Mid-Day Meals, Antyodaya Anna Yojana, etc.
the people more prone to food insecurity?
A Which are

Ans. Access to food largely depends on access to money. The people or groups most prone to food
insecurity are landless people, tracditonitsans, and Deggars as they work for low wages and are
Drone to long- term unemployment also. People who are prone to natural disasters as continuous
droughts or floods are also prone to food insecurity.
Which states are more food insecure in India?
3
Ans. The food insecure people are largely n economically backward states with high proportion of

poverty, tribal and remote areas, ind regtos Ore prone to natural disasters, etc.Eastern part
of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Bengal, Chhattisgarh, parts of Madhya Pradesh and
Maharashtra account for largest number OT TOOd lnsecure people in the country. 7

0 4 Do you believe that green revolution has made India self-sufficient in food grains? How?
Ans. Yes, green revolution has made India self-sutficient in food grains. Crops are nowo

327 EConomics
 in India
incidence of famine
buffer stocks. There has been no
allows India to have
the year which

even during bad

seasons.

food". Explain.
in India are still without stocks such as in Punjab
Q.5. "A section of people distribution in India. India has buffer
of food not reach those who
Ans. There exists a problem these stocks do
of infrastructure and transportation,
but due to problems be availability of food
where there might
There is also poverty
need them such as in Jharkhand. is also absence of
cook them. There
them or store and
but the people have no money
Srams
to buy rich in protein or other
not have access to food which is
proper diet where people may
qualnty and
essential nutrition.
disaster or a calamity?
supply of food when there is a
What happens to the creates a shortage
6. decreases when there is a
natural calamity. It
total production of food grain some
food to rise. At the high prices,
Ans.
The causes the cost of
ot food in the affected areas and this areas is restricted
due to
from other
cannot aftord to buy food. The supply of food grain ot
people infrastructure in a calamity. If such calamity happens
in a large area

damage to transportation situation famine.

or is stretched over a longer time period, it may cause a
pOpulation
seasonal hunger and chronic hunger?
1 . Differentiate between in terms of quantity or
Ans. Chronic hunger result of having food continuously that is inadequate
is a
therefore
because of their very low income and
quality. Poor people suffer from chronic hunger
their inability to buy food or quality food.
in rural areas because of the
Seasonal hunger is related to cycles of food growing and harvesting
seasonal nature of agricultural activities lead seasonal work and seasonal income. While in urban

areas, this is because irregular income through casual labour.

food security to the poor? Discuss any two
Q.8. What has our government done to provide
schemes launched by the government?
Ans. The two schemes launched by government are:
Public distribution system: It is system that distributes subsidized basic commodities to
poor households through fair price shops nationwide.
ii) Antyodaya Anna Yojana: 1 crore of the poorest among those who are below the poverty line
families are covered under the targeted public distribution system. 35kg of food grains were
made available to each eligible family at a highly subsidised rate.
Q.9. Why is buffer stock created by the government?
Ans. Buffer stocks are created by the government to distribute food grains in the deficit areas and
among the poorer sections of society at a price lower than the market price. This also helps in
solving the problem of shortage of food during bad harvest season or during periods of calamity.
Q. 10. Write notes on:
i) Minimum support price ii) Buffer stock
ii) Issue price iv) Fair price shops
Ans. (i) Minimum Support Price is the price at which government purchases
and not at the crops from the farmers
market price. The MSP helps to
support the farmers and thus ensures that they
produce the required food
grains in the country.
(i) Buffer stock are food grains
mainly wheat and rice procured by the government and stored in
granaries. The minimum support price is declared the
incentives to the farmers for by government every year to provide
areas and during
raising the production. It is done to be
distributed in deficit
problem of shortage of food during a
(ii) The price at which the procured and buffer calamity.
stock food grains are sold through the PDS is
called as 1ssue price. The
issue price is higher than MSP but
that grain. lower than the market price of
Xam idea
dUGlal oCience-1 328
 (iv) Fair price shops also
at issue known
as ration
price. A ration shops and chiefly sell wheat,
government. card is required to
o.11. They form buy items that have rice, eiied by the
What are the
problems of
a
distribution channel of PDS
been
S
Ans. KatuOn the
functioning of system.
shops are
open market to sometimes found resorting to ration shops?
make more corrupt
practices such as diverting the
the shops, etc. Ration money, selling poor grai
shops quality grains at ratio
to pile up regularly have unsold stocks of
the butter stock
and large scale poor qualitycgras left which causes
Q. 12. Write a note on the wastage of food
role of grains occur.
Ans. The cooperatives in
cooperative societies set up shops to sellproviding food and related
15
low itenms
proviang miik and priced goods to poor
people.
vegetables to the consumers at controlled rate while otn Dairy
cOoperave in milk and
network of NGOs for milk products. Academy of Development Science (ADS)Amul ls no
has tacilltated
setting up grain banks in different a

regions.
VERY SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1What does food security mean? [1 mark]
Ans. Food security means availability,
accessibility and
affordability of food to all people at an tnes.
2 en what factors does food security depend on?
Ans. Food security depends on the
Public Distribution System (PDS). At times when this securty 15
threatened, it depends on government vigilance and action.
3 . Explain the three dimensions of food security.
Ans. Availability of food means food production within the country, accessibility means food within
reach ot every person and affordability is that an individual has enough money to buy sutficient
safe food.
4How is food security ensured in a country?
Ans. Food security is
ensured in a country only if enough food is available for all
persons, all persons
have the capacity to buy food of acceptable quality and there is no barrier on access to food.
Les. What kind of people faces food insecurity?
Ans. The poorest section of the society might be food insecure most of the times while persons above
the poverty line might also be food insecure when the country faces a national disaster/calamity
like drought, flood, tsunami, widespread failure of erops causing famine, etc.

96.How is food security affected during calamity? a

Ans. Due to a national calamity say, drougnt, total production of food grain decreases. It createsS a
shortage of food in the affected areas. Due to shortage of food the prices go up. At the high prices,
afford to buy food.
many people cannot
of starvation arise?
How does the situation
1 Ans. If any calamity happens in a very widespread area Or l5 stretched over a large time period, it may
cause a situation of starvation. A massive starvation might take the form of famine.

do famines lead to widespread deaths?

8How
Ans. A famine is characterised by widespred dedtns due to starvation and epidemics caused by
forced
use of contaminated water or decaying tood and loss ot body resistance due to weakening from

starvation.
to have occurred in India?
Q9. Which was the most devastating ramine
Ans. The most devastating famine that had occurred in India was the famine of Bengal in 1943. This
in the province of Bengal.
famine killed thirty lakh people

329 Economics
 today famine has caused starvation deatns in rh district of Odisha,
Q. 10. In which
areas even
district and Kashipur tehsil Raigarn disu deatns
places like Kalahandi
Starvaton
conditions.
Ans. Even today there
are
famine like
s o m e starvation
deaths have been reported due to of Jharknand.
where Baran district of Rajasthanand Palamao district
also reported in
are
insecure'?
Q. 11. What kind of people in rural areas are 'food or no land to depend upon, traditional
atlected groups are landless people with little and destitutes including
Ans. The worst workers
of traditional services, petty self employed
artisans, providers

bexgars.
'food insecure'?
type of people in urban
areas are
.12. What members
are generally
those whose working
A s . In urban areas, the food insecured families are
are largely engaged in
the workers
labour market. These
n ill-paid occupations and casual survival.
employed very low wages
that just ensure basic
activities and are paid
Seasonal insecurity?
Q.13. Which other parts of society are prone to food have either poor land base or very low land
who
SCs, STs and some sections of OBCs
Ans.
The
productivity are prone to food insecurity.
insecure?
Q.14. How people affected by natural disasters a r e food of work, are
who have to migrateto other areas in search
Ans.
the people affected by natural disasters,
also among the most food insecured people, since they are not settled in their lives.

Q.15. Is it true that a high incidence of malnutrition prevails among women?

Ans. This is a matter of serious concern as it is true. It puts even the unborn baby at the risk of

malnutrition. A
large proportion of
pregnant and nursing mothers and children under the age of
5 years constitute an important segment of food insecure population.
. 16. In which regions are food insecure people disproportionately large in our country?
Ans. The food insecured people are disproportionately large in some regions of the country, such as
economically backward states with high incidence of poverty, tribal and remote areas, regions more
prone to natural disasters, etc.
Q. 17. Which states of India account for the largest number of food insecure people?
Ans. The states of Uttar
Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh,
Pradesh and Maharashtra
account for the
parts of Madhya
largest number of food insecure people in the
Q. 18. What is "hunger? country.
Ans.Hunger is another aspect of food insecurity. Hunger is not
about poverty. Its a situation when just an expression of poverty, it
you feel hungry but are unable or brings
Q.19. Does hunger cause food insecurity? cannot afford food.
Ans. No, hunger is
consequence of good insecurity. Food
a

which results in hunger and

sometimes, starvation.
insecurity means
non-availability of food
Q. 20. How does "chronic
hunger occur?
Ans. Chronic hunger is a
consequence of having persistently
quality. Poor
people suffer from chronic hunger inadequate diet in terms of quantity and
because of
to buy food even
for survival. very low income and, in turn,
Q.21. What do you inability
understand by 'seasonal
Ans. SeasonaB
hunger is related to cycles of foodhunger'?
seasonal nature of agricultural activities andproduction. This happens in rural
areas
because of the casual because of the
get less work during in urban areas
rainy season.
Q. 22. What policies were adopted labourers, who
by Indian
Ans. After
Independence, Indian government to remove food
foodgrains, for that a new policy makers adopted all measures to insecurity?
rice in our strategy achieve self sufficiency in
of wheat and of "Green
country. Revolution' was introduced
am dea to increase
Social Science-x 330 production
 Q.23. How was the
success of
Ans. Indira Gandhi, the 'Green
then Prime Revolution' felicitated by Indira dhi?
Gana
Revolution
in Minister,
agriculture by releasing a officially recorded the impr
Q.24. Which states achieved the special stamp entitled tion' in July 1960.
Revolution? highest rate of growth in food wnea ion during Gree
grain proauc
Ans. Punjab and Haryana
achieved the highest rate
Q.25. Which states continued to of growth in the
production or heat. Wee
lag behind in food n?
Ans.
anatrdsntra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha andproduction
production, despite Green the
despite Green Kevo
states northeastern
behind lagged n o

Q.26. How did India become Revolution.

India
Ans. has become
self-sufficient?
self-sufficient in food grains during the last thirty years because or a vatleey
crops grown all over the
country.
Q. 27. How does FCI purchase
grains from the farmers?
Ans. The Minimum
Support Price (MSP) is declared by the
government every year before the sow
Season toO provide incentives to the farmers for raising the production of these crops.
purchased foodgrains are stored in granaries.
Q. 28. What is Public Distribution
System?
Ans. The 100d procured by the FCI is distributed through government regulated ration shops among
the poorer section of the society. This is called the public distribution system (PDS)
Q. 29. What are Fair Price Shops?
Ans. Ration Shops, also krnown as Fair Price Shops, keep stocks of foodgrains, sugar, kerosene oil, etc.
These items are sold to people at a price lower than the market price.
Q.30. Which families can buy from these Ration Shops?
Ans. Any family which is below the poverty line gets a ration card. A ration card can buy them a
stipulated amount of certain essential commodities like food grains or kerosene, every month
from a nearby ration shop.
Q.31. When was rationing system introduced in India?
Ans. The rationing system introduced in India in 1940s, after the disastrous Bengal famine occurred.
Q. 32. When was rationing system revived after Bengal famine?
Ans. The rationing system was revived in the wake of an acute food shortage during the 1960s prior to

the Green Revolution.

Q.33. Which important food intervention programmes were introduced by Indian government
after NSSO report?
Ans. Public Distribution System for foodgrains.
)
Service -

in 1975 on experimental basis.

(ii) Integrated Child Development
1977-78.
Work- Introduced in
(iii) Food for
.34. How do PAPs enhance food security?
Ans. Poverty Alleviation Programmes such as FD, mld-day meals, etc., are exclusively food security
programmes. Most of these PAPS are meant for rural areas and enhance food security.

about National Food for Work Programme?

Q. 35. What do you know
launched on November 14,
2004 in 150 most backward districts of the
Ans. This programme was
countrywith the objective of intensifying the generation of supplementary wage employment.

36. What is RPDS?

Q.Ans. Over the years, the policy related tO FDD 1ds DEEn revised to make it more efficient and targeted.
In 1992. Revamped Public Distribution system was introduced in 1,700 blocks in the country. The

the benents or PDS to remote and backward areas

target was to provide

331 Economicss
 was introduced
Q.37. What is TPDS? Distribution System (TPDS)
Targeted Public
difterential
a
1997, ina renewed
attempt,
for the first time that
Ans.
From June in all areas'. It was
of targeting the 'poor
principle
to adopt the was and non-poor
adopted for poor
price policy the government?
by
linked with the PDS system the Annapurna
38. Which two
sehemes were
Anna Yojana
(AAY) and
Q. Antyodaya launched -

respectively.
schemes were
'Senior Citizens',
Ans. In 2000, two special of the poor' and
of poorest
Seheme with specíal target groups

benefits of PDS? over the years in

Q. 39. What are the policy
instrument of government
to be the most effective
Ans. The PDS has proved affordable prices.
to the poor at
and making food available
stabilising prices farmers?
Prices supported the increase in tood-grain
Q. 40. How has Minimum Support contributed to an
has
Ans. The minimum support prices and procurement
certain regions.
security to farmers in
production and provided income
criticism?
Q. 41. Why has PDS been facing severe
FCI godowns are overtlowing
granaries.
Ans. Instances of hunger are prevalent despite overflowing
some being eaten by rats.
With grains, with some rotting away and
Q. 42. What is a 'Subsidy'? the market price
makes to a producer to supplement
Ans. 'Subsidy' is a payment that a government a higher income for
consumer prices low while maintaining
of a commodity. Subsidies can keep
domestic producers.
Q. 43. Why is a high level of buffer stock undesirable? undesirable and
Ans. There is a general consensus that high level of buffer
stocks of food grains is very
can be wasteful. The storage of massive food stocks has been responsible for high carrying cost,
in addition to wastage and deterioration in grain quality.
of intensive utilisation of water in the cultivation of rice on the
Q.44. What is the impact
environment?
Ans. The intensive utilisation ofwater in the cultivation ofrice has also led to environnmental degradation
and fall in the water level, threatening the sustainability of the agricultural development in the
states of Punjab and Haryana.
0. 45. What kind of malpractices are there among PDS dealers?
Ans. PDS dealers are sometimes found resorting to malpractices like diverting the grains to open
market to get better margins, selling poor quality grains at ration shops, irregular opening of the
shops, etC.

Q. 46. What is the role of cooperatives in food security?

Ans. The cooperatives are also playing an important role in food security in India especially in southern
and western parts of the country. The cooperative societies set up shops to sell low
to poor families. priced goods
Q. 47. Give some
important cooperatives running successfully.
Ans. ) In Delhi, Mother Dairy is making efforts in
controlled rates decided by the
at providing milk and vegetables to the consumers
(i) Amul is a successful
government of Delhi.
cooperative in milk and milk products from Gujarat.
Q. 48. What is the role of ADS?
Ans. ADS is Academy of
grain banks in different
Development Science which has facilitated a network of
regions. NGOs for setting up
Q. 49. What is the contribution of
Grain Banks?
Ans. ADS tried to set
up Grain Banks in
Maharashtra to facilitate
influence the Government
to
policy on food replication through other NGOs and
acknowledged as a successful and innovativesecurity. These are paying rich
food security dividends. It has been
AamOea* intervention.
Social Science-1X 332
 Q. 50. What rights
Ans. Right to Food provide food security?
Act, 2013.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

M. What does food
security' mean? On what
13marks]1
Ans. Food
security means factors does food security of a country pend?
It means availability,
something more than accessibility and
getting two square affordability
of food for all
Food security meals. peop
() The
depends on:
Public Distribution
Thei) System.
government acts at
times when this
&2. What are the
dimensions of food security is threatened.
0 Ans. The dimensions of food security?
security are:
Avalability
and previous of food: It is the food production within the country including 100u
year stock of food in
government granaries npo
(ii) Accessibility: This means
food within the reach of every
(111) Aftordability: This means person.
whether the individual has enough money to buy
nutritious food. sue
AQ3. Why do
need 'food security'?
we

Ans. Food security is needed because:

VO ) The poorest section of the society might be food insecure most of the times.
(11) People above the poverty line might also be food insecure when the country faces a national
disaster or calamity like an earthquake,
drought, flood, tsunami, etc.
i) There can also be a widespread failure of crops causing famines, etc.
A . How is food security affected during a calamity?
Ans. ) Due to a natural calamity, total production of foodgrains decreases.
(i1) It creates a shortage of food in the affected area.
(i) Due to shortage of food, the prices go up.
iv) At higher prices, some people cannot afford to buy food.
(v) If such a calamity occurs in a widespread area, it may cause a situation of starvation.
A massive situation of starvation might turn into a famine.
(vi)
Q.5. What is a 'famine'? Which states in India are affected by famines?
Ans. A famine is characterised by widespread deaths due to starvation and epidemics caused by forced
use of contaminated water or decaying food and loss of body resistance due to weakening from
starvation:
) The most devastating famine that occurred in lndia was the Famine of Berngal in 1943. This
of
faminekilled 30 lakh people in the province Bengal.
(ii) Even today, there are places k e Nalanandi ana kashipur in Odisha, where famine-like

conditions have been existing for many years and starvation deaths have also been reported.
ii) Starvation deaths are also reported n Baran district of Rajasthan, Palamau district of

Jharkhand and many other

remote areas during the recent years.

0.6. How
Ans.
are food insecured people disproportlonately large in some regions of the country?
(i) There are some states wnicn are econoically Dackward states with high incidence of

poverty. and remote ateas, and regions more prone to natural disasters. etc.
(ii) These are the tribal
iil) In fact, the states of UP, Blnar, Jnarknana, Oisha, west Bengal, Chhattisgarh, parts of

383 conomics
 in
insecure peopie
number of food
and Maharashtra
account for the largest
Madhya Pradesh
the country. foodgrain production.
self-sufficient in
which explain that India is years.
during the last thirty
Cite evidences
Q.7.
become self-suflicient in foodgrain production
Ans. India has
o v e r the country.
ofa variety of crops grown all has turther
(i) This is because weather conditions
or otherwise,
The availability of foodgrains even in adverse
(ti) by the government.
been ensured with a carefully
designed food security system

ci) This system has two components:

and
(a) Buffer stocks
(b) Public distribution system.
Distribution System criticised?
Q. 8. Why is the Public
because:
Ans. The PDS has been criticised
overflowing granaries.
) Instances of hunger are prevalent despite a n d some are
where some are rotting away
The godowns are overtflowing with grains
( FCI
eaten by rats.
the retail market, though
are black marketing the goods in
(i) Shopkeepers of fair price shops
they are not allowed to do so.

Q.9. What do you know about Antyodaya Anna Yojana?

Ans. () The AAY was launched in December 2000.
(Below Poverty Line) families
() Under this scheme, one crore of the poorest among the BPL
covered under the targeted PDS system were identified.
(i) Twenty-five kilograms of foodgrains were made available to each eligible family at a highly
subsidised rate.
Q. 10. How is food security ensured in a country?
Ans. Food security is ensured in a country only if:
) Enough food is available for all the persons.
(i) All persons have the capacity to buy food of acceptable quality.
(ii) There is no barrier on the access of food.
.11. What does 'Seasonal Hunger mean?
Ans. () Seasonal hunger is related to cycles of food growing and harvesting.
(i) This is prevalent in rural areas because of the seasonal nature of agricultural activities and in
urban areas because of the casual labour, eg, there is less work for casual
construction labour
luring the rainy season.
This type
(ii) of hunger exists when a person is unable to get work for the entire year.
Q. 12. What are the three important Food Intervention
Ans. ()Public Distribution System (PDS) gives
Programmes?
cost. It was existing earlier also but
provision of food grains for the poor at subsidised
strengthened thereafter.
i) Integrated Child Development Science
(ICDS). It was introduced in 1975 on an
basis. experimental
(ii) Food For Work (FFW) was introduced in 1977-78. Over the years, several
have been launched and some have been new
programmes
restructured with the
administering of the programme. growing experience of
Q. 13. Why were the FCI
granaries overilowing with
foodgrains and how
controlled? was the situation
Ans. ) In July 2002, the stock of
wheat and rice with FCl was 63
more than the minimum buffer noms of million tonnes which
24.3 million tonnes. was much

Xam idea
Social Science-X 334
 (i) The stock
eased after
year was declared 2002-03
du due
e to
relief
(iii) The decline in
as
draught operations undertas
operations
year due to failure of
undertaken by the government the a

stocks continued in monsoon

nigner than the
buffer norms. Thesubsequent years.
O. 14.
under different
What buffer norms schemes launched by the
situation improved with the Howevedistribution
distridu of foouga
Ans. () There is
are to be
followed by thegovernment.
and can
a general
be
consensus that government?
high level of buffer stocks of food grains
wasteful. i
massive
wastage
food
and deterioration stocks has been responsible for high carrying cost, in adaO
in grain
(ii) Freezing of Minimum quality.
Support Price (MSP) for a few years should be considered seriously.
The rising
g MSP
VSP has
has raised the
Q. 15. How can you help maintenance cost of procuring food grains by the govet
poor people in
Ans. () By providing food security?
providing standard level of nutrition
(ii) By aiming to raise awareness
about self-sufficiency in foodgrains
ii) By opening consumer
cooperative stores.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS [5marks]
Q.1. How does social inability to buy food also play a role in food insecurity?
Ans. (1) The SCs, STs and some sections of the OBCs, who have low land productivity are prone to
food insecurity.
0) The people who are affected by natural disasters and have to migrate to other areas in search
of work are also amongst the most food insecure people.
(iii) Malnutrition among women can even put the unborn baby at the risk of malnutrition.
(iv) A large proportion of pregnant and nursing mothers, and children under the age of 5 years
are also among the food insecure population.
Q.2. How did India aim at self-sufficiency in food grains after independence?
Ans. (i) After independence, the Indian policy makers adopted all measures to achieve self-

suffciency.
(i) India has adopted a new strategy in agriculture called the Green Revolution', which is

introduced in the production of rice and

wheat.
recorded the success of the Green
(iii) Indira Gandhi, the then Prime
of
Minister India officially
a special stamp entitled "Wheat Revolution'.
Revolution by releasing
later replicated in rice.
(iv) The success of wheat was

The highest rate of growth

was achieved in Punjab and Haryana where foodgrains production
(v)
jumped to an all-time high.
Andhra Pradesh On the other hand, recorded significant increase in rice
(vi) Tamil Nadu and
yield. the government?
stock'? Why was it created by
Q.3. What is 'buffer
OR
Food Corporation of India (FCI).
Mention the activities of
namely wheat and rice procured by the government
Ans. Buffer stock is the stock of toodgralns,
Corporation of India (FC).
through Food ramers In states where there is surplus production.
and
) The FCI purchases wheat iceiromne
a pre-announced price 1or their crops. This price is called Minimum
(ii) The farmers are paid
Support Price (MSP).

385 ECOno0IcS
 season to provide
before the sowing
(1n) The MSP is declared by the government every year,
the production of these crops.
incentives to the farmers for raising
iv) The purchased food grains are stored in granaries by the government. Strata or
deficit areas and among the poorer
() This is done to distribute foodgrains in the
Price.
society, ata price lower than the market price also known as Issue conditions

also helps to resolve the problem of shortage of

food during adverse weather
(Vi) This
or during the periods of calamity.

Q.4. What is the Public Distribution System?

ration shops
Ans. () When the food procured by the FCI is distributed through government regulated
(PDS).
called the Public Distribution System
among the poor sections of the society, it is
towms and cities.
() Ration shops are now present in most localities, villages,
stock of food grains, sugar,
(10) Ration shops are also known as 'Fair Price Shops', which keep
kerosene oil for cooking
(iV) Items suchas these are sold to people at a price lower than the market price.
items every month from
()Any lamily with a ration card can buy a stipulated amount of these
a nearby ration shop, depending on the number of family members.

.5. What is the 'rationingsystem?

Ans. ) It was introduced in India in the 1940s after the Bengal Fanmine.
i) The rationing system was revived in the 1960s due to food shortage in India.
cii) Due to high incidence of poverty in the mid-1970s reported by NSSO, three food intervention
programmes were introduced:
(a) Public Distribution System (PDS) for foodgrains; already existed but strengthened
later on.
(b) Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) introduced in 1975 on an experimental
basis.
(c) Food For Work (FFW) Programme launched in 2004 in 150 most backward districts of
the country to
intensify the generation of supplementary
wage employment.
Q. 6. What are some of the important features of the PDS?
Ans. ) It is the most effective
government polic stabilising prices and making food available to
consumers at affordable prices.
(i) It helps in averting widespread hunger and famine by
the country to the deficit areas.
supplying food from surplus regions of
(ii) The prices have been under revisionin favour of
poor households in general.
(iv) Minimum Support Price announcement has
increased the food
income security to farmers. production and provided
Q.7. Who food
insecured in India? What is
are
over in the country? their social composition? How are they scattered
Ans. Although a large section
worst affected
of people suffer from food and nutrition
little or no land to insecurity
groups are landless people with in India, the
services petty self employed depend upon, traditional
workers and destitutes
food insecure families are those
whose including beggars. In the urban areas, the
occupations and casual labour market. working members are
generally employed in ill-paid
The Social
composition along with the inability to
Rickshaw-puiler.
sections of the OBCs, who buy food also plays a role in food insecurity.
The SCs, STs and some
productivity are prone to food have either poor land
insecurity. The base or very low land
to migrate to
other areas in search people affected by natural
of work, are
also among the disasters who have
most food
Xam idea insecure people.
Soclal Science-1X 336
 A large
constituteproportion
of
an
eThe food insecureimportantpregnant and
nursing mothers and
ng mothers
segment of the and children
children under the age of yeai 3
food insecure
people are population
HOTS (Higher Order disproportionately
portionately scattered
scattered inin our laz
large areas in the county
our

0.1. Why is there a need

Thinking Skills)
of
Ans. Food security is neededfood security in India?
as
)he pOOrest section of the
disaster/calamity like
society might be food insecure when the national
countyt
causing famines, etc. earthquake, drought, flood, Tsunami, widespreau crops
(11) Due to a natural
calamity,
iii) It creates a shortage of total production of foodgrains decreases
food in the affected
(iv) Due to shortage of areas.
food, the prices go up.
(v) At the
high prices, some people cannot
afford to buy food.
Q.2. How does seasonal
employment affect the food security?
Ans. ) Seasonal
unemployment is when a
person is unemployed for a particular season ot tney a r
(11) Mostly this is prevalent in rural areas because of the seasonal nature ot tne
agneu
activities.
(111) In urban areas, casual construction labourers have less work, especially during the ralny
reason.
(iV) Seasonal hunger exists when a person is unable to get work for the entire year.

SELF-ASSESSMENT
Very Short Answer Questions [1 mark
by Buffer Stock'?
Q. 1. What do you understand

Q.2. Explain Minimum Support Price.

is meant by food security?
Q.3. What
Revolution?
Q.4. What is White
Q.5. Define FCI.

Short Answer Questions 13 marks

Stock.
benefits of Buffer
Q.1. Write any three
Q.2. Describe the impact of famine.
Q.3. What are the three
dimensions
of food security?
Explain its any three merits.
Distribution System?
.4. What is Public
in India." Why?
Q.5. "Food security
is essential

33 ECOndhis