INTRODUCTION:
Food Security in India Ensuring food security is one
of the challenge of the Government when more than 1/3rd of the population are
absolutely poor and ½ of all children are not get nutrition, Food security has
three interrelated components:
1. Availability of food in India
2. Access of
food in India
3. Absorption of Food (Nutrition)
AVAILABILITY OF FOOD IN INDIA
·
After
independence India faced the problem of availability of food, but because of
green revolution India has become self sufficient in food grains at national
level.
·
The reason for decline in growth rate in food
production is due to land and soil quality degradation, water shortage.
Different regions are known for different types of availability of food in
India.
·
e.g rice is grown in lower foothills of
Himalayas, wheat in Punjab, Haryana and UP.
ACCESS OF
FOOD IN INDIA
·
As the food
security means that all members of the society have access to the food they
need, either from their own production or from the market and from the
government’s transfer mechanism.
·
In order to achieve food security, it is
important that poor fellows should have sufficient means to purchase food.
ABSORPTION OF FOOD (NUTRITION)
·
The per capita calories
in take in rural India have declined from 2240 kcal per day in 1983 to around
2000 at present level.
·
The per capita
calories consumption for poor is very low at 1400-1500 kcal per day.
·
Because of low
calories, there are health problems like blindness due to Vitamin A, dry and
wet Beriberi due to Vitamin B etc.
INCOME INEQUALITIES
·
Social
disparities and Income inequalities are found in almost every society of the
world. 5% of the world’s population pocket 75% of the global income, while the
poorest 5% receive just 2%.
·
The different
cause of such social disparities met is geographic location, historical
background, social and cultural values.
FOLLOWINGS FACTS ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR INCOME INEQUALITIES
1. Increase in GDP on average by 6% per year. But
this national prosperity is
unfortunately accompanies by considerable increase in inequality.
2. Unequal country
globally.
3. The rich are getting
richer and the poor are getting poorer.
4. Majority of class categorization is on the basis
of income and we find rich, middle class and lower class.
PROBLEM OF POVERTY
·
Poverty is one
of the most serious problem from which various countries are suffering. The
definition of poverty is not common to all. These are differently accepted in
different countries.
·
Poverty can be
defined as the inability to earn basic minimum needs of life. The basic needs
include food, shelter, clothing, education and health.
·
Poverty can be
defined as the inability to earn basic minimum needs of life. The basic needs
include food, shelter, clothing, education and health.
TYPES OF POVERTY
A) Absolute Poverty: In this sense Poverty is not related to income and distribution of consumption expenditure. According to this measure, minimum consumption of food grain, vegetables, milk and other items are necessary for attaining healthy life.
1) Calorie based Criteria: The first criterion for measuring poverty is per
day intake of calories, proteins and fats of a person. Calorie is the measure
of energy that a person gets from food.
· According to planning commission, 2400 calories are required for rural people and 2100 calories are required for urban people.
2) Minimum Consumption: Expenditure Based Criteria: the second criterion is
based on minimum consumption expenditure. According to this criterion, poverty
line is fixed on the basis of minimum consumption expenditure.
· As per committee, monthly per capita consumption expenditure is Rs 816 for rural area and Rs 1000 for urban area.
B)
Relative
Poverty: the relative poverty is
based on the comparison of per capita income of different countries. The
country with less per capita income is relatively poor as comparison to country
with high per capita income.
MEANING OF POVERTY LINE
•
Poverty is concerned with the comparison with a fixed standard line. This
standard line is called Poverty line.
•
It is cutoff point on the distributing line. It means it indicates the level of
purchasing power required to fulfill the minimum needs of a person.
• This line divides the people in two
categories. One includes those who have this purchasing power and those who
don’t have this minimum purchasing power is considered as poor.
•
Living below poverty line (BPL) and rest is considered as non poor living above
the poverty line (APL).
DETERMINATION OF
POVERTY LINE
•
As per data in 2011-2012 criteria, 21.9% of India population was living below
poverty line.
•
As per International measures, 3 US Dollars are required per day.
• According t that 32.7 % Percent of Indian
Population was living below poverty line.
1.
Rapidly rising population.
2.
Low productivity in Agriculture
3.
Under Utilized resources.
4.
Low rate of Economic Development.
5. Price rise.
6.
Unemployment.
7.
Shortage of Capital and Entrepreneurship.
8.
Social Factors.
9.
Political Factors.
10.
Natural Calamities.
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