Food Security in India

Q34. In which areas of India even today famine has caused starvation deaths?

Ans. Even today there are places like Kalahandi and Kashipur in Orissa where some starvation deaths have also been reported. Starvation deaths are also reported in Baran district of Rajasthan, Palamau district of Jharkhand and many other remote areas during the recent years.

Q35. Why buffer stock is created by the government?

Ans. This is done to distribute food grains 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 also helps resolve the problem of shortage of food during adverse weather conditions or during the periods of calamity.

Q36. What are the problems of the functioning of ration shops?

Ans. 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.

Q37. What buffer norms are to be followed by the government?

Ans. 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. Freezing of MSP for a few years should be considered seriously.

Q38. ’A high incidence of malnutrition prevails among women’. Comment

Ans. A high incidence of malnutrition prevails among women. This is a matter of serious concern as 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 the food insecure population.

Q39. Do you believe that green revolution has made India self-sufficient in food grains? How?

Ans. Yes, the Green Revolution has made India self-sufficient in food grains.

1. India adopted a new strategy in agriculture, which resulted in the ‘Green Revolution’ especially in the production of wheat and rice.
2. The highest rate of growth was achieved in Punjab and Haryana. 
3. The success of wheat was later replicated in rice.

Q40. What happens to the supply of food when there is a disaster or a calamity?
Or
How is food security affected during a calamity?
Or
How does the situation of starvation arise?

Ans. Due to a natural calamity, say drought, total production of food grains decreases. It creates a shortage of food in the affected areas. Due to shortage of food, the price goes up. At the high prices, some people cannot afford to buy food. If such calamity happens in a very wide spread area or is stretched over a longer time period, it may cause a situation of starvation. A massive starvation might take a turn of famine.

Q41. Explain the major dimensions of food security.
Or
What are the dimensions of food security?
Or
What are the three dimensions of food security in India? Explain them.

Ans. Food security has following dimensions

(a) availability of food means food production within the country, food imports and the previous years stock stored in government granaries.

(b) accessibility means food is within reach of every person.

(c) affordability implies that an individual has enough money to buy sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet one's dietary needs.

Q42. ‘The food insecure people are disproportionately large in some regions of the country’. Explain

Ans. The food insecure 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. In fact, the states of Uttar Pradesh (eastern and south-eastern parts), Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Chattisgarh, parts of Madhya Pradesh and Maharasthra account for largest number of food insecure people in the country.

Q43. What are the functions of FCI?
Or
Mention the activities of Food Corporation of India.

Ans. Functions or activities of FCI are:

1. It safeguards the interests of the farmers by providing with remunerative prices for their food grains. 
2. It maintains satisfactory level of buffer stocks of food grains to ensure National Food Security.
3. It intervenes in the food grain market when required for price stabilization.