MINOR PROJECT REPORT

On
THE CHALLENGES IN TRANSITION FROM FOOD SECURITY TO
NUTRITIONAL SECURITY IN INDIA

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the

degree of

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)

Semester-II (Paper Code-BBA 114)

To
Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi

Guide: Submitted by
Ms.Sonam Arora Anmol Mittal
Assistant Professor 09121101722
Batch:2022-25

Institute of Information Technology & Management,

New Delhi-110058
2022-23
i
 CERTIFICATE

I, Mr.ANMOL MITTAL, Roll No. 09121101722 certify that the Minor Project Report

(Paper Code BBA 114) entitled “THE CHALLENGES IN TRANSITION FROM

FOOD SECURITY TO NUTRITIONAL SECURITY IN INDIA” is completed by me

by collecting the material from the referenced sources. The matter embodied in this has

not been submitted earlier for the award of any degree or diploma to the best of my

knowledge and belief.

Signature of the Student

Date:

Certified that the Minor Project Report (Paper CodeBBA-114) entitled “THE

CHALLENGES IN TRANSITION FROM FOOD SECURITY TO NUTRITIONAL

SECURITY IN INDIA” done by Mr. ANMOL MITTAL, Roll No. 09121101722 is

completed under my guidance.

Signature of the Guide

Ms. Sonam Arora
Assistant Professor
Date:

Countersigned
Dr. Rachita Rana

ii
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The success and outcome of this project required a lot of guidance and assistance

from many people and I am extremely privileged to have got this all along the

completion of my project. All that I have done is only due to such supervision and

assistance and I would not forget to thank them.

I respect and thank Ms. Sonam Arora for providing me an opportunity to do the

project work and giving us all support and guidance, which made me complete the

project duly. I am extremely thankful to her for providing such a nice support and

guidance, who took keen interest on our project work and guided us all along, till

the completion of our project work by providing all the necessary information for

developing a good system.

(Student’s signature)

ANMOL MITTAL

Enrollment No.

01911101722

iii
 CONTENTS

S.NO TOPIC Pg No.

1. Certificate ii

2. Acknowledgement iii

3. List of Tables v

4. List of Figures v

5. List of Symbols vi

6. List of Abbrevia ons vi

7. Chapter-1 Introduction to Food Security 1

1.1 What is Food security? 2-3

1.2 Food security as an outcome of the food system 4

1.3 Factors affecting Food Security 5-7

1.4 History of food security in india 7-16

Chapter-2 Nutritional Security 17

2.1 About Nutritional security 18-20

2.2 Food security vs. nutrition security 20-21

Chapter-3 Challenges In the Transition 22

3.1 Challenges Of Food Security In India 23-25

iv
 3.2 Transition from food security to nutrition 25-30

security in India

Chapter-4 Recent Causes of Rupee Depreciation 31

4.1Summary Of The Economic Survey 2022-23 32-37

Chapter-5 Analysis of impact of rupee 38

depreciation on corporate profitability
5.1 Solutions to Problems in Food Subsidy Delivery 39-40

5.2 International Organizations Ensuring Food 41

Security

Chapter -6 Conclusion 42-44

Chapter-7 Bibliography 45-46

LIST OF TABLES

Table No Title Page No

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure No Title Page No

v
 LIST OF SYMBOLS

S No Symbol Nomenclature & Meaning

S No Abbreviated Name Full Name

vi
 CHAPTER-1

INTRODUCTION

TO FOOD

SECURITY

1
1.1What is food security?

Figure1.1

Food security refers to the state of having access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious

food to meet one's dietary needs and preferences for an active and healthy life.It

involves ensuring that all individuals in a population have access to food that is

affordable and available at all times, without compromising their other basic needs.

The current food system (production, transport, processing, packaging, storage,

retail, consumption, loss and waste) feeds the great majority of world population and

supports the livelihoods of over 1 billion people. Since 1961, food supply per capita

has increased more than 30%, accompanied by greater use of nitrogen fertilisers

(increase of about 800%) and water resources for irrigation (increase of more than

2
100%). However, an estimated 821 million people are currently undernourished, 151

million children under five are stunted, 613 million women and girls aged 15 to 49

suffer from iron deficiency, and 2 billion adults are overweight or obese. The food

system is under pressure from non-climate stressors (e.g., population and income

growth, demand for animal-sourced products), and from climate change. These

climate and non-climate stresses are impacting the four pillars of food security

(availability, access, utilisation, and stability).

Food security and climate change have strong gender and equity dimensions (high

confidence). Worldwide, women play a key role in food security, although regional

differences exist. Climate change impacts vary among diverse social groups

depending on age, ethnicity, gender, wealth, and class. Climate extremes have

immediate and long-term impacts on livelihoods of poor and vulnerable

communities, contributing to greater risks of food insecurity that can be a stress

multiplier for internal and external migration (medium confidence). Empowering

women and rights-based approaches to decision-making can create synergies among

household food security, adaptation, and mitigation.

1.2Food security as an outcome of the food system

3
The activities and the actors in the food system lead to outcomes such as food

security and generate impacts on the environment. As part of the environmental

impacts, food systems are a considerable contributor to GHG emissions, and thus

climate change . In turn, climate change has complex interactions with food systems,

leading to food insecurity through impacts on food availability, access, utilisation

and stability.

We take a food systems lens in the Special Report on Climate Change and Land

(SRCCL) to recognise that demand for and supply of food are interlinked and need

to be jointly assessed in order to identify the challenges of mitigation and adaptation

to climate change. Outcomes cannot be disaggregated solely to, for example,

agricultural production, because the demand for food shapes what is grown, where

it is grown, and how much is grown. Thus, GHG emissions from agriculture result,

in large part, from ‘pull’ from the demand side. Mitigation and adaptation involve

modifying production, supply chain, and demand practices (through, for example,

dietary choices, market incentives, and trade relationships), so as to evolve to a more

sustainable and healthy food system.

1.3Factors affecting Food Security

4
The food security of many people across countries is affected due to several factors,

along with differences in economic standards. These factors are directly in control

of the type and the quantity of food produced. These factors are:

 Climate Change and Global Warming

For areas of the world that are already water-constrained, climate change will

increasingly cause adverse impacts on agricultural production through diminishing

water supplies, increases in extreme events like floods and severe storms, heat stress,

and increased prevalence of pests and diseases.

Without solutions, falling crop yields, especially in the world's most food-insecure

regions, will push more people into poverty – an estimated 43 million people in

Africa alone could fall below the poverty line by 2030 as a result.

 Scarcity of land for farming

Food demand is expected to increase by as much as 70 percent by 2050. This

increase will need to be met largely with further improvements in yields. Use of

better varieties and investments in agricultural management have substantial

potential to meet global demand sustainably without expanding agricultural land.

However, to meet the growing demand, substantially faster growth in yields will be

required .

5
The result is small farms, low production per person and increasing landlessness. A

consequence of land shortage is poverty. Land shortage and poverty, taken together,

lead to non-sustainable land management practices, the direct causes of degradation.

 Technological barriers

Technologies used in achieving food security should ensure high quality food

products. Low food quality exposes the population to poor nutrition and food

safety issues, which in turn create a burden on the society, affecting overall socio-

economic well-being. This issue of quality should be taken into account when

making choices about types of staple crops, post-harvest practices and processing

and packaging of finished products that are safe for consumption.

 Inadequate supply of water for irrigation

Water is key to food security. Crops and livestock need water to grow. Agriculture

requires large quantities of water for irrigation and of good quality for various

production processes. While feeding the world and producing a diverse range of

non-food crops such as cotton, rubber and industrial oils in an increasingly

productive way, agriculture also confirmed its position as the biggest user of water

on the globe. Irrigation now claims close to 70 percent of all freshwater

appropriated for human use.

6
  Poverty

Reducing poverty is a key element in a policy for food security, because poor people

spend such a large share of their incomes on food, leaving them vulnerable to high

food prices, and many poor people obtain much of their income from farming,

leaving them vulnerable to declines in agricultural output.

But reducing poverty is not sufficient, because of the many risks to the food security

of the near-poor from a wide range of shocks.

1.4History of food security in india

In order to provide the Right to food to every citizen of the country, the Parliament

of India, enacted legislation in 2013 known as the National Food Security Act,

2013. Also called the Right to Food Act, this Act seeks to provide subsidized food

grains to approximately two-thirds of India's 1.33 billion population.

Food Security in India – Important Statistics

Food security has been a major concern in India.

1. According to UN-India, there are nearly 195 million undernourished people

in India, which is a quarter of the world’s hunger burden.

2. Roughly 43% of children in India are chronically undernourished.

7
 3. People Below Poverty Line in India decreased to around 22% in 2011-12.

The Poverty percentage was calculated using the Tendulkar methodology.

4. India ranked 76th in 113 countries assessed by The Global Food Security

Index (GFSI) in the year 2018, based on four parameters—affordability,

availability and quality, and safety.

5. As per 2020 country rankings, India ranked 71st among 113 countries in the

GFSI.

6. As per the Global Hunger Index, 2018, India was ranked 103rd out of 119

qualifying countries.

7. According to Global Hunger Index, 2020, India rank has improved to 94th

position out of the 107 countries but much behind countries like Bangladesh,

Pakistan and Nepal.

8. According to FAO estimates in ‘The State of Food Security and Nutrition in

the World, 2018” report, about 14.8% of the population is undernourished in

India.

9. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, 2020 report states

that the prevalence of undernourishment in the total population in India

declined from 21.7 % in 2004-06 to 14 % in 2017-19.

Food Security Programmes of India

8
 1. Public Distribution System. – A major chunk of Government Expenditure on

Food Security is spent on Food Subsidies which are implemented through

the Targeted Public Distribution System.

2. Mid Day Meal Scheme

3. Integrated Child Development Services Scheme.

The food management system and food price policy, to ensure food security in

India thus consists of three major instruments,

1. Procurement at minimum support prices,

2. The maintenance of buffer stocks, and the

3. Public Distribution System.

Food Subsidy in India – Implementation

Food Security of beneficiaries is ensured by distributing food grains at subsidized

prices through the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). It protects them

from price volatility due to inflation. Over the years, while the spending on food

subsidy has increased, the ratio of people below the poverty line has decreased.

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution is the nodal

ministry for the implementation of food subsidy. This Ministry has 2 Departments

which are given below

1. Department of Food and Public Distribution

9
 2. Department of Consumer Affairs

98% of this Ministry’s budget is allocated to the Department of Food and Public

Distribution.

Food Subsidy – 3 Main Components

The 3 ways of spending food subsidy by the Department of Food and Public

Distribution are listed below

1. The subsidy is given to the Food Corporation of India

2. The subsidy given to the states.

3. Sugar subsidy

Nutritional Requirements of Poor People – Implementation

1. Currently, the food items provided by the central government for distribution

under PDS are rice, wheat, and sugar.

2. 5 kg of food grains will be given to per person, per month at subsidized

prices. This rule is based on the National Food Security Act, 2013.

3. As per Antyodaya Anna Yojana, each of the households belonging to the

poorest of the poor section will be provided 35 kg of food grains per month

at subsidized prices.

10
 4. The National Food Security Act, 2013 requires the central and state

governments to undertake steps to diversify commodities distributed under

PDS.

Targeted Public Distribution System – Other Issues

1. Situations, where entitled beneficiaries do not get food grains, are called

Exclusion errors. It refers to the percentage of poor households that are

entitled to but do not have PDS cards. This exclusion error had decreased to

41 % in 2011-12 from the figures of 2004-05.

2. Inclusion errors occur when those that are ineligible for subsidized food

grains get undue benefits. This inclusion error had increased to 37% in 2011-

12 from the figures of 2004-05.

Increase in Inclusion Errors and & Decrease in Exclusion Errors – 2

Main Reasons

1. Despite a decline in the poverty rate, non-poor are still identified as poor by

the government thus allowing them to continue using their PDS cards.

2. An increase in the coverage of the Targeted Public Distribution System

(TPDS) has reduced the proportion of poor who do not have access to PDS

cards.

11
Recent Government Initiatives

 National Food Security Mission

o It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in 2007.

o It aims to increase production of rice, wheat, pulses, coarse cereals

and commercial crops, through area expansion and productivity

enhancement.

o It works toward restoring soil fertility and productivity at the

individual farm level and enhancing farm level economy.

o It further aims to augment the availability of vegetable oils and to

reduce the import of edible oils.

 Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)

o It was initiated in 2007, and allowed states to choose their own

agriculture and allied sector development activities as per the

district/state agriculture plan.

o It was converted into a Centrally Sponsored Scheme in 2014-15 also

with 100% central assistance.

o Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) has been named as Rashtriya

Krishi Vikas Yojana- Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and

12
 Allied Sector Rejuvenation (RKVY-RAFTAAR) for three years i.e.

from 2017-18 to 2019-20.

 Integrated Schemes on Oilseeds, Pulses, Palm oil and Maize (ISOPOM)

 0Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana

 E-marketplace: The government has created an electronic national

agriculture market (eNAM) to connect all regulated wholesale produce

markets through a pan-India trading portal.

 Massive irrigation and soil and water harvesting programme to increase the

country’s gross irrigated area from 90 million hectares to 103 million

hectares by 2017.

 The National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, legally entitles up to 75%

of the rural population and 50% of the urban population to receive

subsidized food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System.

o The eldest woman of the household of age 18 years or above is

mandated to be the head of the household for the purpose of issuing of

ration cards under the Act.

International Organizations involved in ensuring Food Security

 Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)

13
 o Established as a specialized agency of the United Nations in 1945.

o One of FAO's strategic objectives is to help eliminate hunger, food

insecurity, and malnutrition.

 World Food Programme (WFP)

o Founded in 1963, WFP is the lead UN agency that responds to food

emergencies and has programmes to combat hunger worldwide.

 International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

o Founded in 1977, IFAD focuses on rural poverty reduction, working

with poor rural populations in developing countries to eliminate

poverty, hunger, and malnutrition.

o It is a specialized agency of the United Nations and was one of the

major outcomes of the 1974 World Food Conference.

International Initiatives

 The High-Level Task Force (HLTF) on Global Food and Nutrition

Security was established by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in

2008.

14
 o It aims to promote a comprehensive and unified response of the

international community to the challenge of achieving global food and

nutrition security.

 Formulation of the First Millennium Development Goal (MDG 1), which

included among its targets cutting by half the proportion of people who

suffer from hunger by 2015.

 The United Nations Secretary-General launched the Zero Hunger

Challenge in 2012 during the Rio+20 World Conference on Sustainable

Development. The Zero Hunger Challenge was launched to inspire a global

movement towards a world free from hunger within a generation.

Challenges to Food Security in India

1. Beneficiaries have complained of receiving poor quality food grains.

2. Farmers receive Minimum Support Price (MSP) from the Government for

crops such as wheat, paddy, and sugarcane. The MSP is higher than the

market price. There is very minimum procurement of other crops by the

Government at MSP. Due to this factor farmers do not have the incentive to

produce other crops such as pulses. This puts immense pressure on the water

table as the above crops are highly water-intensive.

15
3. Due to the possibility of increasing nutritional imbalance in food grains, the

Government must expand subsidies and include other protein-rich food

items.

4. Under the National Food Security Act, the identification of beneficiaries is

to be completed by State Governments. As per the findings of the

Comptroller and Auditor General in 2016, a massive 49 % of the

beneficiaries were yet to be identified by the State Governments.

5. The available storage capacity in states was inadequate for the allocated

quantity of food grains as per the report of the Comptroller and Auditor

General (CAG).

16
CHAPTER -2

NUTRITIONAL

SECURITY

17
2.1 About Nutritional security

Nutritional security is defined as “a situation that exists when all people, at all times,

have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food

that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.”

Achieving nutritional security in the context of the burgeoning population, climate

change, diminishing land and water resources, environmental degradation, and

changing incomes and diets will require not just approaches to sustainably producing

more food, but also smarter ways of producing food, dealing with food waste, and

promoting improved nutritional outcomes. The National Institute of Food and

Agriculture (NIFA) invests in and advances agricultural research, education, and

extension and seeks to make transformative discoveries that solve these societal

challenges. NIFA’s portfolio of support for nutritional security and sustainable

agriculture includes literally thousands of impactful efforts across our nation; below

are just a handful that speak to the transformative work transforming lives. For

example:

18
Healthy lifestyles are critical to address obesity and diabetes, which are rampant in

Native American communities. To this end, Southwest Indian Polytechnic Institute

in New Mexico has created the successful Seven Generations of Native Health

programs, which include topics such as understanding food labels, food

consumption, and cholesterol.

Almost 80 percent of the consumptive use of freshwater is in the food we consume,

and agricultural irrigation accounts for 62 percent of freshwater use in the United

States. Such water use cannot be sustained in many parts of our nation, considering

the intense weather events and droughts, combined with depletion of groundwater.

University of Maryland researchers have developed sensors and control systems for

commercial nursery and greenhouse operations that can reduce water use by 40 to

80 percent.

Many global cereal production systems are not irrigated and are located in semi-arid

regions. The limited precipitation and often extreme temperatures in these regions

make these systems vulnerable to climate change. To address these and associated

challenges, the Regional Approaches to Climate Change project in the Pacific

19
Northwest promotes practices that are improving soil nutrient management,

diversify cropping systems, and anticipating changes in pest pressure.

Food waste losses are greatest at the level of the consumer, and reducing these losses

can have global impacts. For example, Elena, a mother of two children, experienced

food insecurity because she did not have enough money to buy more food. But, after

participating in the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program’s Plan, Shop,

$ave lesson, Elena began cooking more purposefully. “I didn’t look at what I had.

Now I look at the pantry to see what I can use before I shop,” she said. “It’s saving

me money.” Thankfully, Elena now has a better idea of how much her children need,

wastes less, and focuses on healthier meals – but there are many more people who

are still in the dark about food economy.

2.2 Food security vs. nutrition security

Food security is defined as the availability and the access of food to all people;

whereas nutrition security demands the intake of a wide range of foods which

provides the essential needed nutrients.

It is estimated that the average dietary intake in India is 2280 calories. In 9 major

states, the average was less than 2400 calories, suggesting poverty. In a 1988-90

survey, only 10% of the children, and about 50% of the adults, were considered to

20
have a normal nutritional status. The rest suffered from different levels of Chronic

Energy Deficiency. In addition, contradictions have also developed within policies

in India that seek to address these issues.

Recognizing that agriculture is the key to poverty eradication, India recently drafted

the Agriculture Policy. The Policy focuses on rain-fed farming, unemployment, and

malnutrition in rural areas, revitalizing the cooperatives, and increasing the

involvement of nongovernmental organizations. However, there are certain issues of

concern in the Policy with the most damaging aspect seen in the promotion of

existing inequalities in the rural sector.

21
 CHAPTER-3

CHALLENGES IN

THE

TRANSITION

22
3.1 CHALLENGES OF FOOD SECURITY IN INDIA

Removal of hunger and malnutrition among masses is not only socially desirable but

also necessary for improving overall development of the country, as healthy people

contribute more to the economy with their relatively higher level of productivity and

efficiency. UN post-2015 development agenda on sustainable development goals

(SDGs) aims to end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030. In this context,

three interconnected issues--water, food and livelihood- -need to be addressed in an

integrated manner.

As per the NSS consumption surveys, per capita consumption of cereals has declined

from 12.72 kgs in 1999-00 to 11.22 kgs in 2011-12 in rural areas and from 10.42 kgs

to 9.28 kgs in urban areas.

23
Table 2:shows per capita average calorie, protein and fats intake across MPCE

fractile classes in 2011-12. It is significant to note that bottom 5 percent rural and

urban households in India in 2011-12 met respectively 70.4 percent and 65.5 percent

of their calorie requirement from cereals, while the corresponding percentages for

the top 5 percent households were 42.1 and 29.4 in rural and urban areas

respectively.

24
Table 3 shows that share of PDS rice in total rice quantity consumed has increased

from 13.2 percent in 2004-05 to 28.5 percent in 2011-12 in rural areas and from 12.7

percent in 2004-05 to 19.6 percent in urban areas. Similarly, the share of PDS in

total wheat quantity consumed has increased from 7.4 percent to 17.3 percent in rural

and from 4.0 percent to 9.4 percent in urban areas during the same period.

Transition from food security to nutrition security in India

India has an extended history of hunger, famines and food insecurity in the past.

With a population approaching almost 1.26 billion in 2011, India is likely to be the

most populous country on this planet by 2030 with 1.6 billion people. It currently

accounts for more than 17% of the global population and 456 million poor having

less than $1.25 a day (World Bank).

25
Pre and post-independence India has shadowed famine’s which has raised the

concern for the food security. Food security concerns in India can be traced back to

the Bengal Famine in 1943 at the time of British colonial rule, during which about

2-3 million people perished due to starvation. Since obtaining independence, an

initial rush to industrialize while ignoring agriculture, two successive droughts in

the mid-1960s, and dependence on food aid from the developed economies

exposed India’s vulnerability to several shock wave on the food security front. The

Green revolution in the late 1960s and 1970s followed by a White revolution in

1970s and 1980s showed revolutionary past India had

With the advent of the Green revolution and White revolution in the late 1970s and

1980s respectively, India has grown out of a period of acute shortages and huge

dependence on food aid globally and attained self-resilient. It was because of the

Green Revolution that India was able to come out of dependence on imports and

food aid and meet demands through domestic production. The White revolution in

the 1980s has shaped India for the self-resilience of the dairy products.

“Food security (is) a situation that exists when all people, at all times, have

physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that

meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.”(1)

26
The concept of food security has undergone considerable changes in past years.

There is a growing disconnect, common across the developing world but

particularly evident in India, between food policy and modern-day nutritional

challenges.

Keeping demand side at the priority in 2013 Parliament has passed the food

security bill. This bill gives entitlement to every person in the household will

receive 5 kilograms of food grains per month at high subsidized price under Public

Distribution System (PDS).

Major Programs and Partnerships to Improve to Food Security:

1) Public Distribution System (PDS)

2) Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme

(MGNREGS)

3) National Food Security Bill passed in the year 2013

Food and nutrition security is broadly characterized by three pillars:

availability, accessibility, and absorption (nutritional outcomes). In an exertion

to accomplish these, it is almost certain to innovate and consider out-of-the-box

policy opportunities. The role of various stakeholders and partnerships among

them will be critical. These include public and private sectors (PPP), community

27
groups, multilateral agencies, and humanitarian foundations as well as bilateral

collaboration between the nations.

The 1996 World Food Summit provided a comprehensive definition of food

security bringing into focus the linkage between food, nutrition, and health. Food

and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has advocated the use of the following ‘Food

Insecurity Outcome’ indicators:

(i) Per capita, food grain availability assessed at national level.

(ii) Access to food grain at the household level as assessed by hunger

rates.

(iii) Health as assessed by infant and under-five mortality.

(iv) Nutrition as assessed by under-five underweight and low Body Mass

Index (BMI) in adults.(2)

After 60 years of independence, India has the uncertain distinction of having one

of the highest prevalence of undernutrition (such as stunting, wasting, and

micronutrient deficiencies like anemia, vitamin A and foliate deficiencies), in the

world. Efforts made since independence have made only on the edge effect. Being

a country in developmental transition, the post-transition, lifestyle and

28
environment-related diseases like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, Cardio Vascular

Diseases (CVD), and cancers are also increasing. Individuals born with low birth

weight due to intrauterine malnutrition tend to be more predisposed to the above-

mentioned adult-onset degenerative maladies. Malnutrition is seriously and

adversely impacting the country’s development and health care expenditure. It is

directly linked with an increase in Disability adjusted life year (DALY’s) which

will eventually affect the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of India.

“Nutrition Security implies physical, economic and social access to a balanced

diet, clean drinking water, safe environment, and health care (preventive and

curative) for every individual”.(3)

Education and awareness are needed to make use of these services. Thus

malnutrition has a complex etiology and its prevention requires Awareness, and

Access to all the above at Affordable cost. There is a public health

backdrop/intervention for the transition of food security to the nutrition security in

India.

India’s focus shifted from food security to nutrition security so that attention is

paid not only to calories and proteins but also to the micronutrients. There needs to

be the eradication of three kinds of hunger protein hunger caused by the deficiency

29
of protein, calorie hunger caused by a deficiency of calories, and hidden hunger

caused by a deficiency of micronutrients such as iodine and iron.

Major Programs and Partnerships to Improve Nutrition Security:

1) The Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS)

2) Mid-day Meal

In conjunction with these programs such as Swachh Bharat,‘Beti Bachao,Beti

Padao’ addresses critical nutrition sensitive issues. Fortification of food items such

as milk, wheat, maize, oil and especially those being distributed through the PDS

is also being taken up to address the issue of malnutrition in the country.

Major Nutritional Problems of Public Health Importance are:

 Chronic energy deficiency and undernutrition

 Chronic energy excess and obesity

Micro-nutrient deficiencies:

 Anemia due to iron and folate deficiency

 Vitamin A deficiency

30
CHAPTER-4

DATA FROM

ECO SURVEY

2022-23
31
SUMMARY OF THE ECONOMIC SURVEY 2022-23

India To Witness Gdp Growth Of 6.0 Per Cent To 6.8 Per Cent In 2023-24,

Depending On The Trajectory Of Economic And Political Developments Globally

Economic Survey 2022-23 Projects A Baseline Gdp Growth Of 6.5 Per Cent In

Real Terms In Fy24

Economy Is Expected To Grow At 7 Per Cent (In Real Terms) For The Year

Ending March 2023, This Follows An 8.7 Per Cent Growth In The Previous

Financial Year

Credit Growth To The Micro, Small, And Medium Enterprises (Msme) Sector Has

Been Remarkably High, Over 30.5 Per Cent, On Average During Jan-Nov 2022

Capital Expenditure (Capex) Of The Central Government, Which Increased By

63.4 Per Cent In The First Eight Months Of Fy23, Was Another Growth Driver Of

The Indian Economy In The Current Year

Rbi Projects Headline Inflation At 6.8 Per Cent In Fy23, Which Is Outside Its

Target Range

32
Return Of Migrant Workers To Construction Activities Helped Housing Market

Witnessing A Significant Decline In Inventory Overhang To 33 Months In Q3 Of

Fy23 From 42 Months Last Year

Surge In Growth Of Exports In Fy22 And The First Half Of Fy23 Induced A Shift

In The Gears Of The Production Processes From Mild Acceleration To Cruise

Mode

Private Consumption As A Percentage Of Gdp Stood At 58.4 Per Cent In Q2 Of

Fy23, The Highest Among The Second Quarters Of All The Years Since 2013-14,

Supported By A Rebound In Contact-Intensive Services Such As Trade, Hotel And

Transport

Survey Points To The Lower Forecast For Growth In Global Trade By The World

Trade Organisation, From 3.5 Per Cent In 2022 To 1.0 Per Cent In 2023

Posted On: 31 JAN 2023 2:00PM by PIB Delhi

India to witness GDP growth of 6.0 per cent to 6.8 per cent in 2023-24, depending

on the trajectory of economic and political developments globally.

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The optimistic growth forecasts stem from a number of positives like the rebound of

private consumption given a boost to production activity, higher Capital Expenditure

(Capex), near-universal vaccination coverage enabling people to spend on contact-

based services, such as restaurants, hotels, shopping malls, and cinemas, as well as

the return of migrant workers to cities to work in construction sites leading to a

significant decline in housing market inventory, the strengthening of the balance

sheets of the Corporates, a well-capitalised public sector banks ready to increase the

credit supply and the credit growth to the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises

(MSME) sector to name the major ones.

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The Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman

tabled the Economic Survey 2022-23 in Parliament today, which projects a baseline

GDP growth of 6.5 per cent in real terms in FY24. The projection is broadly

comparable to the estimates provided by multilateral agencies such as the World

Bank, the IMF, and the ADB and by RBI, domestically.

It says, growth is expected to be brisk in FY24 as a vigorous credit disbursal, and

capital investment cycle is expected to unfold in India with the strengthening of the

balance sheets of the corporate and banking sectors. Further support to economic

growth will come from the expansion of public digital platforms and path-breaking

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measures such as PM GatiShakti, the National Logistics Policy, and the Production-

Linked Incentive schemes to boost manufacturing output.

The Survey says, in real terms, the economy is expected to grow at 7 per cent for the year ending

March 2023. This follows an 8.7 per cent growth in the previous financial year.

Despite the three shocks of COVID-19, Russian-Ukraine conflict and the Central Banks across

economies led by Federal Reserve responding with synchronised policy rate hikes to curb inflation,

leading to appreciation of US Dollar and the widening of the Current Account Deficits (CAD) in

net importing economies, agencies worldwide continue to project India as the fastest-growing

major economy at 6.5-7.0 per cent in FY23.

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According to Survey, India’s economic growth in FY23 has been principally led by private

consumption and capital formation and they have helped generate employment as seen in the

declining urban unemployment rate and in the faster net registration in Employee Provident Fund.

Moreover, World’s second-largest vaccination drive involving more than 2 billion doses also

served to lift consumer sentiments that may prolong the rebound in consumption. Still, private

capex soon needs to take up the leadership role to put job creation on a fast track.

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 CHAPTER-5

SUGGESTIONS

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Solutions to Problems in Food Subsidy Delivery

The following solutions will help in addressing problems associated with PDS.

1. Replacing the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) with Direct

Benefit Transfer (DBT) of food subsidy. National Food Security Act

(NFSA) states that the centre and states should introduce schemes for cash

transfers to beneficiaries. Cash transfers seek to increase the choices

available with a beneficiary and provide financial assistance. It has been

argued that the costs of DBT may be lesser than TPDS, owing to lesser costs

incurred on transport and storage. These transfers may also be undertaken

electronically. As per a report given by a high-level committee of Food

Corporation of India (FCI), DBT would reduce Government subsidy bills by

more than Rs 30,000 crores.

2. Automation at the Fair Price Shops is another important step taken to

address the problem in PDS. Currently, more than 4.3 lakh (82%) Fair Price

Shops have been automated across the country. Automation involves the

installation of Point of Sale (PoS) devices, for authentication of beneficiaries

and electronic capturing of transactions.

3. Aadhar and the introduction of Biometrics were recommended to plug

leakages in PDS. Such transfers could be linked to Jan Dhan accounts, and

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 be indexed to inflation. It facilitates the removal of bogus ration cards,

checks leakages, and ensure better delivery of food grains. In February 2017,

the Ministry made it mandatory for beneficiaries under NFSA to use

Aadhaar as proof of identification for receiving food grains.

4. 100% of ration cards had been digitized.

5. Between 2016 and 2018, the seeding of Aadhaar helped in the detection of

1.5 crores fake, duplicate, and bogus ration cards, and these cards were

deleted.

6. Increase the procurement undertaken by states known as Decentralised

Procurement (DCP), and reduce the expenditure on centralized

procurement by the Food Corporation of India (FCI). This would drastically

reduce the transportation cost borne by the government as states would

distribute the food grains to the targeted population within their respective

states. As of December 2019,17 states have adopted decentralized

procurement.

7. The Fair Price shops operate at very low margins as per the findings of the

Government. Hence the fair price shops should be allowed to sell even non-

PDS items and make it economically viable. This will motivate them not to

resort to unfair practices in the distribution of Government-subsidized food

grains meant for beneficiaries of Government schemes.

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 8. Greater and more active involvement of the panchayats in the PDS can

significantly improve access at the village level.

9. There is also an urgent need to set up a proper and effective grievances

redressal system for both the fair price shops as well as beneficiaries

International Organisations Ensuring Food Security

1. Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) – It was established in 1945. It is

headquartered in Rome, Italy. It is a specialized agency of the United

Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve

nutrition and food security. It is the oldest existing agency of the United

Nations.

2. World Food Programme (WFP)– It is the world’s largest humanitarian

organization addressing hunger and promoting food security. It was

established in 1961. It is headquartered in Rome, Italy. It is a food assistance

branch of the United Nations.

3. International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) – It is an

international financial institution and a specialized agency of the United

Nations that works to address poverty and hunger in rural areas of

developing countries. It is headquartered in Rome, Italy.

4. World Bank – It was established in 1944, it is headquartered in Washington.

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CHAPTER-6

CONCLUSION

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Food security exists when all people at all times have physical and economic access

to sufficient, nutritious and safe food for an active and healthy life and are not at

undue risk of losing such access. People are food insecure when one or more of the

dimensions of food security – availability, access, utilization and stability – are

compromised. Food aid may or may not be part of an appropriate intervention,

depending on which dimensions of food security are affected and why. One of the

key messages from this year’s The State of Food and Agriculture is that food aid,

rather than being the default option in humanitarian crises, should be seen as one of

many options within a wider range of social safety nets that seek to ensure a

minimum level of well-being and to help households manage risk. In addition to

providing food during crises, such cashor food-based safety nets provide fungible

resources that can be used to protect and invest in productive assets.

Whether to use food instead of cash in a social safety net depends largely on the

availability of food and the functioning nature of markets. Where adequate food is

available and affordable through markets that remain accessible to crisis-affected

people, food aid may not be the most appropriate resource. Food insecurity can exist

both on a chronic basis and in situations recognized as “crises” or “emergencies”.

Indeed, crises may precipitate a decline into chronic food insecurity if households

are forced to liquidate productive resources in order to survive. Furthermore, crises

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often occur within an overall context of chronic food insecurity, and thus may take

on the characteristics of a complex or protracted emergency.

Food insecurity therefore should not be viewed as a purely transitory phenomenon

triggered by an external shock. Likewise, response options should go beyond the

immediate measures needed to restore acceptable food consumption levels. It must

be recognized that short-term interventions can and do have long-term consequences

and that these consequences can be positive or negative.

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 CHAPTER-7

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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https://www.worldbank.org

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_security

https://www.ifpri.org/topic/food-security

https://www.fao.org/3/y4671e/y4671e06.htm

https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/challenges-to-food-security-in-india/

https://testbook.com/ias-preparation/challenges-of-food-security-in-india

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3481742/

https://krishijagran.com/featured/issues-and-challenges-of-food-security-in-india/

https://india.un.org/en/171969-nutrition-and-food-security

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