Food Security in India PDF

4 Chapter Food Security in India Overview In the 1970s, food security was Food security means availability, understood as the “availability at all times accessibili...

4 Chapter Food Security in India Overview In the 1970s, food security was Food security means availability, understood as the “availability at all times accessibility and affordability of food to of adequate supply of basic foodstuffs” (UN, 1975). Amartya Sen added a new all people at all times. The poor dimension to food security and households are more vulnerable to food emphasised the “access” to food through insecurity whenever there is a problem what he called ‘entitlements’ — a of production or distribution of food combination of what one can produce, crops. Food security depends on the exchange in the market alongwith state Public Distribution System (PDS) and or other socially provided supplies. government vigilance and action at Accordingly, there has been a substantial times, when this security is threatened. shift in the understanding of food security. The 1995 World Food Summit declared, What is food security? “Food security at the individual, Food is as essential for living as air is for household, regional, national and global breathing. But food security means levels exists when all people, at all times, something more than getting two square have physical and economic access to meals. Food security has following sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet dimensions their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life” (FAO, 1996, (a) availability of food means food p.3). The declaration further recognises production within the country, food that “poverty eradication is essential to imports and the previous years stock improve access to food”. stored in government granaries. (b) accessibility means food is within reach a national disaster/calamity like of every person. earthquake, drought, flood, tsunami, (c) affordability implies that an individual widespread failure of crops causing has enough money to buy sufficient, famine, etc. How is food security safe and nutritious food to meet one's affected during a calamity? Due to a dietary needs. natural calamity, say drought, total Thus, food security is ensured in a production of foodgrains decreases. It country only if (1) enough food is available creates a shortage of food in the affected for all the persons (2) all persons have areas. Due to shortage of food, the prices the capacity to buy food of acceptable goes up. At the high prices, some people quality and (3) there is no barrier on cannot afford to buy food. If such calamity access to food. happens in a very wide spread area or is stretched over a longer time period, it Why food security? may cause a situation of starvation. The poorest section of the society might A massive starvation might take a turn be food insecure most of the times while of famine. persons above the poverty line might also A Famine is characterised by wide be food insecure when the country faces spread deaths due to starvation and 42 Economics Rationalised 2023-24 epidemics caused by forced use of Do you know who were affected the contaminated water or decaying food and most by the famine? The agricultural loss of body resistance due to weakening labourers, fishermen, transport from starvation. workers and other casual labourers The most devastating famine that were affected the most by dramatically occurred in India was the FAMINE OF increasing price of rice. They were the BENGAL in 1943. This famine killed thirty ones who died in this famine. lakh people in the province of Bengal. Table 4.1: Production of Rice in the Province of Bengal Year Production Imports Exports Total Availability (Lakh tonnes) (Lakh tonnes) (Lakh tonnes) (Lakh tonnes) 1938 85 – – 85 1939 79 04 – 83 1940 82 03 – 85 1941 68 02 – 70 1942 93 – 01 92 1943 76 03 – 79 Source: Sen, A.K, 1981 Page 61 Let’s Discuss 1. Some people say that the Bengal famine happened because there was a shortage of rice. Study the table and find out whether you agree with the statement? 2. Which year shows a drastic decline in food availability? Picture 4.1 Starvation victims arriving at a Picture 4.2 During the Bengal Famine of relief centre, 1945. 1943, a family leaves its village in Chittagong district in Bengal. Food Security in India 43 Rationalised 2023-24  Suggested Activity engaged in seasonal activities and are paid very low wages that just ensure bare (a) What do you see in Picture 4.1? survival. (b) Which age group is seen in the first Story of Ramu picture? (c) Can you say that the family shown in Ramu works as a casual labourer the Picture 4.2 is a poor family? why? in agriculture in Raipur village. His (d) Can you imagine the source of eldest son Somu who is 10 years old livelihood of the people, (shown in two also works as a pali to look after the Pictures) before the occurrence of cattle of the Sarpanch of the village famine? (In the context of a village) Satpal Singh. Somu is employed for the whole year by the Sarpanch and (e) Find out what type of help is given to is paid a sum of Rs 1,000 for this the victims of a natural calamity at a work. Ramu has three more sons relief camp. and two daughters but they are too (f ) Have you ever helped such victims (in young to work on the field. His wife the form of money, food, clothes, Sunhari is also (part time) working medicines etc.) as house cleaner for the livestock, PROJECT WORK: Gather more removing and managing cow dung. information about famines in India. She gets ½ litre milk and some cooked food along with vegetables Nothing like Bengal famine has for her daily work. Besides she also happened in India again. It is, however, works in the field along with her disturbing to note that even today, famine husband in the busy season and like conditions exist in many parts of the supplements his earnings. country, leading to starvation deaths at Agriculture being a seasonal times. Natural calamities and pandemics activity employs Ramu only during may also lead to food shortage. For times of sowing, transplanting and example Covid-19 pandemic had an harvesting. He remains unemployed adverse impact upon the food security. for about 4 months during the Restriction on movement of people and period of plant consolidation and goods and services impacted economic maturing in a year. He looks for activity. Therefore food security is needed work in other activities. Some times in a country to ensure food at all times, he gets employment in brick laying including calamities and pandemics or in construction activities in the village. By all his efforts, Ramu is Who are food-insecure? able to earn enough either in cash Although a large section of people suffer or kind for him to buy essentials for from food and nutrition insecurity in two square meals for his family. India, the worst affected groups are However, during the days when he landless people with little or no land to is unable to get some work, he and depend upon, traditional artisans, his family really face difficulties and providers of traditional services, petty self- sometimes his small kids have to employed workers and destitutes sleep without food. Milk and including beggars. In the urban areas, the vegetables are not a regular part of food insecure families are those whose meals in the family. Ramu is food working members are generally employed insecure during 4 months when he in ill-paid occupations and casual labour remains unemployed because of the market. These workers are largely seasonal nature of agriculture work. 44 Economics Rationalised 2023-24  Let’s Discuss run his family even with small earnings from rickshaw-pulling? Why is agriculture a seasonal activity? The social composition along with the Why is Ramu unemployed for about inability to buy food also plays a role in four months in a year? food insecurity. The SCs, STs and some What does Ramu do when he is sections of the OBCs (lower castes among unemployed? them) who have either poor land-base or Who are supplementing income in very low land productivity are prone to Ramu’s family? food insecurity. The people affected by Why does Ramu face difficulty when natural disasters, who have to migrate to he is unable to have work? other areas in search of work, are also When is Ramu food insecure? among the most food insecure people. A Story of Ahmad high incidence of malnutrition prevails among women. This is a matter of serious Ahmad is a rickshaw puller in concern as it puts even the unborn baby Bangalore. He has shifted from at the risk of malnutrition. A large Jhumri Taliah along with his 3 proportion of pregnant and nursing brothers, 2 sisters and old parents. mothers and children under the age of 5 He stays in a jhuggi. The survival of years constitute an important segment of all members of his family depends on the food insecure population. his daily earnings from pulling rickshaw. However, he does not have a secured employment and his According to the National Health and earnings fluctuate every day. During Family Survey (NHFS) 1998–99, the some days he gets enough earning for number of such women and children is him to save some amount after buying approximately 11 crore. all his day-to-day necessities. On other days, he barely earns enough The food insecure people are to buy his daily necessities. However, disproportionately large in some regions fortunately, Ahmad has a yellow card, of the country, such as economically which is PDS Card for below poverty backward states with high incidence of line people. With this card, Ahmad poverty, tribal and remote areas, regions gets sufficient quantity of wheat, rice, more prone to natural disasters etc. In sugar and kerosene oil for his daily fact, the states of Uttar Pradesh (eastern use. He gets these essentials at half and south-eastern parts), Bihar, of the market price. He purchases his J harkhand, O rissa, West B engal, monthly stock during a particular day Chattisgarh, parts of Madhya Pradesh and when the ration shop is opened for Maharasthra account for largest number below poverty people. In this way, of food insecure people in the country. Ahmad is able to eke out his survival Hunger is another aspect indicating with less than sufficient earnings for food insecurity. Hunger is not just an his big family where he is the only expression of poverty, it brings about earning member. poverty. The attainment of food security therefore involves eliminating current hunger and reducing the risks of future Let’s Discuss hunger. Hunger has chronic and seasonal Does Ahmad have a regular income dimensions. Chronic hunger is a from rickshaw-pulling? consequence of diets persistently How does the yellow card help Ahmad inadequate in terms of quantity and/or Food Security in India 45 Rationalised 2023-24 quality. Poor people suffer from chronic hunger because of their very low income and in turn inability to buy food even for survival. Seasonal hunger is related to cycles of food growing and harvesting. This is prevalent in rural areas because of the seasonal nature of agricultural activities and in urban areas because of casual labourers, e.g., there is less work for casual construction labourers during the rainy season. This type of hunger exists Picture 4.3 A farmer from Punjab standing in when a person is unable to get work for a field of one of the High Yielding the entire year. Varieties of wheat on which the Green Revolution is based Table 4.2: Percentage of Households with ‘Hunger’ in India success of wheat was later replicated in rice. The increase in foodgrains was, Type of hunger however, disproportionate. The highest rate Year Seasonal Chronic Total of growth was achieved in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, which was 44.01 and Rural 30.21 million tonnes in 2015–16. The total 1983 16.2 2.3 18.5 foodgrain production was 252.22 Million 1993–94 4.2 0.9 5.1 tonnes in 2015–16 and it has changed to 275.68 million tonnes in 2016–17. 1999–2000 2.6 0.7 3.3 Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh Urban recorded a significant production in field 1983 5.6 0.8 6.4 of wheat which was 26.87 and 17.69 1993–94 1.1 0.5 1.6 million tonnes in 2015–16, respectively. West Bengal and UP, on the other hand, 1999–2000 0.6 0.3 0.9 recorded significant production of rice 15.75 Source: Sagar (2004) and 12.51 Million tonnes in 2015–16 respectively. The percentage of seasonal, as well as, chronic hunger has declined in India as Suggested Activity shown in the above table. India is aiming at Self-sufficiency in Visit some farms in a nearby village and Foodgrains since Independence. collect the details of food crops cultivated After Independence, Indian policy- by the farmers. makers adopted all measures to achieve Food Security in India self-sufficiency in food grains. India Since the advent of the Green Revolution adopted a new strategy in agriculture, in the early-1970s, the country has which resulted in ‘Green Revolution’, avoided famine even during adverse especially in the production of wheat weather conditions. and rice. India has become self-sufficient in Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister foodgrains during the last 30 years of India, officially recorded the impressive because of a variety of crops grown all strides of Green Revolution in agriculture over the country. The availability of by releasing a special stamp entitled foodgrains (even in adverse weather ‘Wheat Revolution’ in July 1968. The conditions or otherwise) at the country 46 Economics Rationalised 2023-24  Graph 4.1: Production of Foodgrains in India (Million Tonnes) 350 297 300 276 277 281 Production (in million tonnes) 259 257 265 245 252 252 250 196 200 176 150 130 108 100 80 50 0 Year Source: Department of Agricultural, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Directorate of Economics and Statistics, 2020-21. Let’s Discuss announced price for their crops. This price is called Minimum Support Price Study Graph 4.1 and answer the following (MSP). The MSP is declared by the questions: government every year before the sowing (a) In which year did our country cross season to provide incentives to farmers the 200 Million tonne per year mark for raising the production of these crops. in foodgrain production? The purchased foodgrains are stored in (b) In which decade did India experience granaries. Do you know why this buffer the highest decadal increase in stock is created by the government? This foodgrain production? is done to distribute foodgrains in the (c) Is production increase consistent in deficit areas and among the poorer India since 2000–01? strata of the society at a price lower than level has further been ensured with a the market price also known as Issue carefully designed food security system by Price. This also helps resolve the the government. This system has two problem of shortage of food during components: (a) buffer stock, and (b) public adverse weather conditions or during the distribution system. periods of calamity. What is Buffer stock? What is the Public Distribution System? Buffer Stock is the stock of foodgrains, namely wheat and rice, procured by the The food procured by the FCI is distributed government through the Food through government regulated ration Corporation of India (FCI). The FCI shops among the poorer section of the purchases wheat and rice from the society. This is called the Public farmers in states where there is surplus Distribution System (PDS). Ration shops production. The farmers are paid a pre- are now present in most localities, Food Security in India 47 Rationalised 2023-24 villages, towns and cities. There are Are there any problems that they face? about 5.5 lakh ration shops all over the Why are ration shops necessary? country. Ration shops also, known as Fair Price Shops, keep stock of The introduction of Rationing in India foodgrains, sugar, and kerosene for dates back to the 1940s against the cooking. These items are sold to people backdrop of the Bengal famine. The at a price lower than the market price. rationing system was revived in the wake Any family with a ration card* can buy a of an acute food shortage during the stipulated amount of these items (e.g. 35 1960s, prior to the Green Revolution. In kg of grains, 5 litres of kerosene, 5 kgs of the wake of the high incidence of poverty sugar etc.) every month from the nearby levels, as reported by the NSSO in the ration shop. mid-1970s, three important food *There are three kinds of ration cards: (a) intervention programmes were Antyodaya cards for the poorest of the poor; introduced: Public Distribution System (b) BPL cards for those below poverty line; (PDS) for food grains (in existence earlier and (c) APL cards for all others. but strengthened thereafter); Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Suggested Activity (introduced in 1975 on an experimental Visit your area’s ration shop and get the basis) and Food-for -Work** (FFW) following details (introduced in 1977–78). Over the years, 1. When does the ration shop open? several new programmes have been 2. What are the items sold at the ration launched and some have been shop? restructured with the growing experience 3. Compare the prices of rice and sugar of administering the programmes. At from the ration shop with the prices present, there are several Poverty at any other grocery shop? (for families Alleviation Programmes (PAPs), mostly in below poverty line) rural areas, which have an explicit food component also. While some of the 4. Find out: programmes such as PDS, mid-day meals Do you have a ration card? etc. are exclusively food security What has your family recently bought programmes, most of the PAPs also with this card from the ration shop? enhance food security. Employment programmes greatly contribute to food security by increasing the income of the poor. Suggested Activity Gather detailed information about some of the programmes initiated by the government, which have food component. Hint: Rural wage employment programme, Employment Guarantee Scheme, Sampurna Grameen Rojgar Yojana, Mid Day Meal, Integrated Child Development Services, etc. Picture 4.4 Discuss with your teacher. 48 Economics Rationalised 2023-24  the coverage of PDS was universal with **The National Food Security no discrimination between the poor and Act, 2013 the non-poor. Over the years, the policy This Act provides for food and related to PDS has been revised to make nutritional security life at affordable it more efficient and targeted. In 1992, prices and enables people to live a life Revamped Public Distribution System with dignity. Under this act, 75% of (RPDS) was introducted in 1,700 blocks the rural population and 50% of the in the country. The target was to provide the benefit s o f P D S t o r e m o t e a n d urban population have been backward areas. From June 1997, in a categorised as eligible households for renewed attempt, Targeted Public food security. Distribution System (TPDS) was introducted to adopt the principle of Current Status of Public the targeting the ‘poor in all areas’. It was Distribution System for the first time that a differential price policy was adopted for poor and non- Public Distribution System (PDS) is the poor. Further, in 2000, two special most important step taken by the schemes were launched viz., Antyodaya Government of India (GoI) towards Anna Yojana*** (AAY) and Annapurna ensuring food security. In the beginning, Scheme (APS) with special target groups Table 4.3: Some Important Features of PDS Name of Year of Coverage target Latest volume Issue price scheme introduction group (Rs per kg.) PDS Up to 1992 Universal – W-2.34 R-2.89 RPDS 1992 Backward blocks 20 kg of W-2.80 foodgrains R-3.77 TPDS 1997 Poor and non-poor 35 kg of BPL – W-4.15 launched in BPL foodgrains/month R-5.65 2000 APL APL-W-6.10 R-8.30 AAY 2002 Poorest of the poor 35 kg of per househeld W-2.00 foodgrains per month R-3.00 APS 2000 Indigent senior 10 kg of Free citizens foodgrains National 2013 Priority households 5 Kg per person W-2.00 Food per month R-3.00 Security Coarse-1.00 Act (NFSA) grains Note: W - Wheat; R - Rice; BPL - Below poverty line; APL - Above poverty line Source: Food Corporation of India, fci.gov.in/sales.php-view-41,2021 (updated on 29.09.2021) National Food Security Act, 2013 Food Security in India 49 Rationalised 2023-24 of ‘poorest of the poor’ and ‘indigent senior difference in foodgrain stocks in Central citizens’, respectively. The functioning of pool and its stocking norms. these two schemes was linked with the existing network of the PDS. ***Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) Some important features of PDS are AAY was launched in December 2000. summarised in Table 4.3. Under this scheme one crore of the The PDS has proved to be the most effective instrument of government policy poorest among the BPL families over the years in stabilising prices and covered under the targeted public making food available to consumers at distribution system were identified. affordable prices. It has been instrumental Poor families were identified by the in averting widespread hunger and famine respective state rural development by supplying food from surplus regions of departments through a Below Poverty the country to the deficit ones. In addition, Line (BPL) survey. Twenty-five the prices have been under revision in favour kilograms of foodgrains were made of poor households in general. The system, available to each eligible family at a including the minimum support price and highly subsidised rate of ` 2 per kg procurement has contributed to an increase for wheat and ` 3 per kg for rice. This in foodgrain production and provided income quantity has been enhanced from 25 security to farmers in certain regions. to 35 kg with effect from April 2002. However, the Public Distribution The scheme has been further System has faced severe criticism on expanded twice by additional 50 lakh several grounds. Instances of hunger are BPL families in June 2003 and in prevalent despite overflowing granaries. August 2004. With this increase, 2 FCI godowns are overflowing with grains, crore families have been covered with some rotting away and some being under the AAY. eaten by rats. Graph 4.2 shows the Graph 4.2: Central Foodgrains (Wheat + Rice) Stock and Minimum Buffer Norm (Million Tonnes) Source: Food Corporation and India (dfpd.gov.in/foodgrain-stocking), 2020-21 (Accessed on 29/09/2021) 50 Economics Rationalised 2023-24  + Subsidy is a payment that a government makes to a producer to supplement the market price of a commodity. Subsidies can keep consumer prices low while maintaining a higher income for domestic producers. Let’s Discuss Study the Graph 4.2 and answer the following questions: In which recent year foodgrain stock with the government was maximum? What is the minimum buffer stock norm for the FCI? Why were the FCI granaries Picture 4.5 Farmers Carrying Bags of Grains overflowing with foodgrains? to the Granaries. In 2014, the stock of wheat and rice is concentrated in a few prosperous with FCI was 65.3 million tonnes which regions (P unjab, Haryana, Western was much more than the minimum Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and to buffer norms. However, these remained a lesser extent in West B engal) and consistently higher than the buffer mainly of two crops— wheat and rice— norms. The situation improved with the increase in MSP has induced farmers, distribution of foodgrains under particularly in surplus states, to divert different schemes launched by the land from production of coarse grains, government. There is a general which is the staple food of the poor, to consensus that high level of buffer the production of rice and wheat. The stocks of foodgrains is very undesirable intensive utilisation of water in the and can be wasteful. The storage of cultivation of rice has also led to massive food stocks has been environmental degradation and fall in responsible for high carrying costs, in the water level, threatening the addition to wastage and deterioration sustainability of the agricultural in grain quality. Freezing of MSP for a development in these states. few years should be considered seriously. # The increased food grains The rising Minimum Support Prices procurement at enhanced MSP# is the (MSP) have raised the maintenance cost of procuring foodgrains by the result of the pressure exerted by government. Rising transportation leading foodgrain producing states, and storage costs of the FCI are other such as Punjab, Haryana and A ndhra contributing factors in this increase. Pradesh. Moreover, as the procurement Food Security in India 51 Rationalised 2023-24  As per the NSSO report No. 558 in rural is almost as high as open market price, India, the per person per month so there is little incentive for them to buy consumption of rice has declined from 6.38 these items from the ration shop. Kg. in 2004-05 to 5.98 Kg in 2011-12. In urban India, the per person per month Role of cooperatives in food security consumption of rice, too has declined from The cooperatives are also playing an 4.71 Kg in 2004-05 to 4.49 Kg in 2011-12. important role in food security in India Per Capita consumption of PDS rice has especially in the southern and western doubled in rural India and increased by parts of the country. The cooperative 66% in urban India since 2004-05. The per societies set up shops to sell low priced Capita consumption of PDS wheat has goods to poor people. For example, out doubled since 2004-05 in both rural and of all fair price shops running in Tamil urban India. Nadu, around 94 per cent are being run PDS dealers are sometimes found by the cooperatives. In Delhi, Mother resorting to malpractices like diverting Dairy is making strides in provision of the grains to open market to get better milk and vegetables to the consumers margin, selling poor quality grains at at controlled rate decided by ration shops, irregular opening of the Government of Delhi. Amul is another shops, etc. It is common to find that ration success story of cooperatives in milk shops regularly have unsold stocks of poor and milk products from Gujarat. It has quality grains left. This has proved to be brought about the White Revolution in a big problem. When ration shops are the country. These are a few examples unable to sell, a massive stock of of many more cooperatives running in foodgrains piles up with the FCI. In recent different parts of the country ensuring years, there is another factor that has food security of different sections led to the decline of the PDS. Earlier every of society. family, poor and non-poor had a ration Similarly, in Maharashtra, Academy of card with a fixed quota of items such as Development Science (ADS) has rice, wheat, sugar etc. These were sold facilitated a network of NGOs for setting at the same low price to every family. The up grain banks in different regions. ADS three types of cards and the range of organises training and capacity building prices that you see today did not exist. A programmes on food security for NGOs. large number of families could buy Grain Banks are now slowly taking shape foodgrains from the ration shops subject in different parts of Maharashtra. ADS to a fixed quota. These included low efforts to set up Grain Banks, to facilitate income families whose incomes were replication through other NGOs and to marginally higher than the below poverty influence the Government’s policy on food line families. Now, with TPDS of three security are thus paying rich dividends. different prices, any family above the The ADS Grain Bank programme is poverty line gets very little discount at acknowledged as a successful and the ration shop. The price for APL family innovative food security intervention. 52 Economics Rationalised 2023-24  Summary Food security of a nation is ensured if all of its citizens have enough nutritious food available, all persons have the capacity to buy food of acceptable quality and there is no barrier on access to food. The people living below the poverty line might be food insecure all the time while better off people might also turn food insecure due to calamity or disaster. Although a large section of people suffer from food and nutrition insecurity in India, the worst affected groups are landless or land poor households in rural areas and people employed in ill paid occupations and casual labourers engaged in seasonal activities in the urban areas. 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. To ensure availability of food to all sections of the society the Indian government carefully designed food security system, which is composed of two components: (a) buffer stock and (b) public distribution system. In addition to PDS, various poverty alleviation programmes were also started which comprised a component of food security. Some of these programmes are: Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS); Food-for-Work (FFW); Mid-Day Meals; Antyodaya A nna Yojana (A AY) etc. In addition to the role of the government in ensuring food security, there are various cooperatives and NGOs also working intensively towards this direction. Exercises 1. How is food security ensured in India? 2. Which are the people more prone to food insecurity? 3. Which states are more food insecure in India? 4. Do you believe that green revolution has made India self-sufficient in food grains? How? 5. A section of people in India are still without food. Explain? 6. What happens to the supply of food when there is a disaster or a calamity? 7. Differentiate between seasonal hunger and chronic hunger? 8. What has our government done to provide food security to the poor? Discuss any two schemes launched by the government? 9. Why buffer stock is created by the government? 10. Write notes on: (a) Minimum support price (b) Buffer stock (c) Issue price (d) Fair price shops 11. What are the problems of the functioning of ration shops? 12. Write a note on the role of cooperatives in providing food and related items. Food Security in India 53 Rationalised 2023-24  References DEV, S. MAHENDRA, KANNAN, K.P. AND RAMCHANDRAN, NEERA (EdS.). 2003. Towards a Food Secure India: Issues and Policies. Institute for Human Development, New Delhi. SAGAR, VIDYA. 2004. 'Food Security in India', Paper presented in ADRF-IFRI Final Meeting on Food Security in India, September 10–11, New Delhi. SAXENA, N.C. 2004. 'Synergising Government Efforts for Food Security' in Swaminathan, M.S. and Medrano, Pedro (Eds.), Towards Hunger Free India, East-West Books, Chennai. SAXENA, N.C. 2004. 'Reorganising Policies and Delivery for Alleviating Hunger and Malnutrition' Paper presented at National Food Security Summit, New Delhi. SEN, A.K. 1983. 'Poverty and Famines: An Essay on Entitlement and Deprivation'. Oxford University Press. SHARMA, REK HA AND MEENAKSHI, J.V. 2004. 'Micronutrient Deficiencies in Rural Diets'. Towards Hunger Free India: From Vision to Action. Proceedings of Consultation on 'Towards Hunger-free India: Count Down from 2007'. New Delhi. FAO 1996. World Food Summit 1995. Food and Agricultural Organisation, Rome. Government of India. Economic Survey. 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05. Ministry of Finance. New Delhi. IIPS 2000. National Health and Family Survey – 2. International Institute of Population Sciences. Mumbai. UN 1975. Report of the World Food Conference 1975. (Rome), United Nations, New York. Food Corporation of India; (fci.gov.in/stocks.php?view=18) 54 Economics Rationalised 2023-24