Samacheer Kalvi 10th Social Science Chapter 25 Exercise Solutions — Food Security and Nutrition | KalviGavani

(a) WHO (b) UNICEF (c) FAO (d) World Bank

(a) 1992 (b) 1997 (c) 2000 (d) 2013

(a) All households (b) Middle-income families (c) The poorest of the poor (d) Farmers only

(a) 2010 (b) 2011 (c) 2013 (d) 2015

(a) NABARD (b) Food Corporation of India (c) Ministry of Agriculture (d) State Civil Supplies Corporation

(a) Provide employment to cooks (b) Improve nutrition and increase school enrolment (c) Reduce food wastage (d) Support farmers directly

(a) Bihar (b) Maharashtra (c) Tamil Nadu (d) Uttar Pradesh

(a) 1950s (b) 1960s (c) 1970s (d) 1980s

(a) Indian Child Development Scheme (b) Integrated Child Development Services (c) Integrated Community Development Services (d) Indian Community Development Scheme

(a) Famine (b) Malnutrition (c) Starvation (d) Food inflation

Food security, as defined by FAO, means that 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. It rests on three pillars: availability of food, accessibility to food, and affordability of food.

The three dimensions are: (1) Availability — enough food must be produced domestically, imported, or drawn from stocks; (2) Accessibility — people must be able to physically reach food (markets, shops) and economically afford it; (3) Affordability — food must be priced within the purchasing capacity of all sections, especially the poor. All three must work together for true food security.

The PDS is a government-run programme that supplies essential food grains (rice, wheat, sugar, kerosene) at subsidised prices through a network of fair-price shops (ration shops). It aims to ensure that even the poorest households have access to basic food items. It is one of the largest distribution systems of its kind in the world.

The Targeted PDS (1997) introduced a classification of beneficiaries into BPL (Below Poverty Line) and APL (Above Poverty Line) categories. BPL households receive higher subsidies and larger allocations than APL households. The earlier PDS was universal in nature, providing the same subsidised food to all ration card holders regardless of income.

AAY, launched in 2000, is a scheme specifically for the poorest of the poor families identified through survey-based criteria. Under AAY, each family is entitled to 35 kg of food grains per month — wheat at Rs 2/kg and rice at Rs 3/kg. It ensures that the most vulnerable sections receive food at the lowest possible prices.

The Food Corporation of India procures food grains from farmers at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) to guarantee them a fair return. FCI then maintains these grains as buffer stock to handle shortages and stabilise market prices. Finally, FCI distributes the grains through the PDS network to fair-price shops across the country.

A balanced diet provides the body with macronutrients (carbohydrates for energy, proteins for growth and repair, fats for stored energy) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals for immunity, bone health, and metabolic functions). Without a balanced diet, people suffer from malnutrition — either undernutrition (anaemia, stunting) or overnutrition (obesity, diabetes), both of which reduce productivity and quality of life.

The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), launched in 1975, provides supplementary nutrition, immunisation, health check-ups, referral services, and pre-school education through anganwadi centres. It serves children under 6 years of age, pregnant women, and lactating mothers — the most nutritionally vulnerable groups.

The mid-day meal scheme provides free cooked lunch to children in government and government-aided schools. It addresses classroom hunger, improves nutrition among school-age children, increases enrolment and attendance, reduces dropout rates, and fosters social integration as children of all backgrounds eat together.

Tamil Nadu follows a universal PDS model that covers all residents, not just BPL households. It provides rice at Re 1/kg, and the ration basket includes items beyond food grains — such as pulses, cooking oil, and sugar. The state also has its own procurement system and efficient distribution through computerised fair-price shops and smart ration cards.

The three dimensions of food security are interlinked and must all be satisfied simultaneously:

1. Availability: This means sufficient food must exist, produced domestically or imported. India achieved significant gains in availability after the Green Revolution, which boosted wheat and rice output. However, regional disparities persist — some states produce surplus while others face deficits.

2. Accessibility: Even when food is available, people must be able to reach it physically and afford it economically. Remote tribal areas, disaster-hit regions, and conflict zones often face accessibility problems despite national-level food surplus.

3. Affordability: People must have adequate income to purchase food at prevailing prices. Rising food inflation, unemployment, and poverty erode affordability. Schemes like PDS and NFSA address affordability by providing subsidised food to those who cannot afford market prices.

All three dimensions are essential. A country may produce enough food (availability), but if the poor cannot reach or afford it, food security is not achieved.

• PDS (original): Introduced during the 1940s as a wartime rationing measure and continued after independence. It was universal — all ration card holders could buy subsidised food grains. Over time, it suffered from leakage, ghost cards, and poor targeting.

• TPDS (1997): The government restructured PDS into a targeted system, dividing beneficiaries into BPL and APL categories. BPL households received higher subsidies and larger quantities. However, issues of identification errors and exclusion persisted, and APL allocation was often reduced.

• AAY (2000): Added as a sub-category under TPDS for the poorest of the poor, offering 35 kg per family at the lowest prices. This tried to address the weakest sections that even BPL subsidies could not adequately cover.

• NFSA (2013): Transformed food from a welfare benefit into a legal right. It guarantees 5 kg per person per month at fixed subsidised prices to 75% of the rural and 50% of the urban population. State governments are responsible for identification and delivery. NFSA shifted the approach from discretionary welfare to rights-based entitlement.

The National Food Security Act (NFSA) was enacted in 2013 to make access to food a legal right. Key provisions include:

1. Coverage: Up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population are covered, totalling roughly 67% of India's population. 2. Entitlement: Each covered person receives 5 kg of food grains per month at subsidised prices — rice at Rs 3/kg, wheat at Rs 2/kg, and coarse grains at Rs 1/kg. 3. AAY households: Continue to receive 35 kg per family per month at the same subsidised rates. 4. Maternity benefit: Pregnant women and lactating mothers are entitled to maternity benefits of not less than Rs 6,000. 5. Children's entitlement: Children aged 6 months to 6 years receive age-appropriate meals through ICDS; children aged 6–14 years receive mid-day meals in schools. 6. Grievance redressal: State governments must set up district-level grievance redressal mechanisms. 7. State responsibility: State governments identify eligible households and ensure last-mile delivery through fair-price shops.

The NFSA made food a justiciable right — beneficiaries can approach courts if denied their entitlement.

Causes of malnutrition:

1. Poverty: Poor households cannot afford nutritious food; they survive on calorie-rich but nutrient-poor diets. 2. Lack of awareness: Many families do not know what constitutes a balanced diet or the importance of micronutrients. 3. Inadequate sanitation: Poor water supply and sanitation cause frequent infections that prevent nutrient absorption, especially in children. 4. Gender inequality: Women and girls often eat last and least in patriarchal households, leading to higher rates of anaemia and undernutrition among females. 5. Weak public services: Gaps in ICDS coverage, poorly functioning anganwadis, and irregular PDS supply reduce the impact of safety net programmes.

Consequences of malnutrition:

1. Stunted growth: Chronic undernutrition in children leads to irreversible physical and cognitive stunting. 2. Reduced productivity: Malnourished adults have lower work capacity, perpetuating the poverty cycle. 3. Higher disease burden: Weak immunity makes people more susceptible to infections, increasing healthcare costs. 4. Intergenerational impact: Malnourished mothers give birth to low-birth-weight babies, passing malnutrition across generations. 5. Economic loss: India loses an estimated 2–3% of GDP annually due to the productivity impact of malnutrition.

Positive role:

1. Increased production: Wheat output rose from 12 million tonnes (1965) to over 95 million tonnes, and rice output increased significantly, making India self-sufficient. 2. Reduced imports: India moved from being a food-importing nation dependent on PL-480 US aid to a surplus producer. 3. Buffer stock building: Surplus production allowed FCI to build substantial buffer stocks for emergencies. 4. Income growth for farmers: Farmers in Punjab, Haryana, and western UP saw significant income gains. 5. Price stabilisation: Higher production helped keep food prices relatively stable for consumers.

Limitations:

1. Regional imbalance: Benefits were concentrated in a few states; eastern and central India saw little impact. 2. Environmental damage: Excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides degraded soil health and polluted water sources. 3. Water depletion: Intensive irrigation led to groundwater depletion, especially in Punjab and Haryana. 4. Crop skew: Focus on wheat and rice reduced cultivation of pulses, millets, and oilseeds, shrinking dietary diversity. 5. Inequity: Large farmers with irrigated land benefited the most; small and marginal farmers gained less. 6. Sustainability concerns: High-input agriculture is not ecologically sustainable long-term, prompting a shift toward organic and sustainable farming practices.

1. ICDS (1975): Provides supplementary nutrition, immunisation, health check-ups, and pre-school education through anganwadi centres. It covers children under 6, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. Impact: Reduced child malnutrition and improved immunisation coverage, though quality varies across states.

2. Mid-Day Meal Scheme: Provides free cooked lunch in government and aided schools. Impact: Increased enrolment (especially of girls and disadvantaged children), reduced dropout rates, and improved classroom attention by reducing hunger.

3. National Nutrition Mission (POSHAN Abhiyaan, 2018): Aims to reduce stunting, undernutrition, anaemia, and low birth weight through convergence of nutrition-related schemes. Impact: Still in early stages, but aims for measurable targets by 2022 and beyond.

4. Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana: Provides cash benefit of Rs 5,000 to pregnant and lactating women for the first child to improve maternal nutrition. Impact: Helps address undernutrition in mothers and low birth weight.

5. Anaemia Mukt Bharat: Targets anaemia among children, women, and adolescents through iron-folic acid supplementation, deworming, and dietary diversification.

6. Tamil Nadu's Nutritious Meal Programme: Predates the national mid-day meal scheme, launched in 1982. Provides eggs, bananas, and nutritious meals, contributing to Tamil Nadu's better-than-average nutrition indicators.

Sustainable agriculture and organic farming are essential for long-term food security because:

1. Soil health: Chemical-intensive farming depletes soil organic matter and microbial life. Organic methods (composting, green manure, crop rotation) restore soil fertility, ensuring food can be grown in the future.

2. Water conservation: Sustainable practices like drip irrigation, mulching, and rainwater harvesting reduce water use. This is critical as groundwater levels decline in major food-producing regions.

3. Biodiversity: Monoculture under the Green Revolution reduced crop diversity. Organic farming encourages mixed cropping and indigenous varieties, making farming more resilient to pests, diseases, and climate change.

4. Reduced chemical residues: Organic food avoids pesticide residues that can harm consumer health, aligning with the "safe food" dimension of food security.

5. Lower input costs: Organic farming reduces dependence on expensive chemical inputs, making farming more affordable for small and marginal farmers.

6. Climate resilience: Diverse, organic systems adapt better to erratic rainfall and temperature changes caused by climate change, protecting food production.

7. Market demand: Growing domestic and international demand for organic products offers income opportunities for farmers, supporting economic access to food.

Food inflation directly threatens food security, especially for the poor:

1. Reduced affordability: When food prices rise faster than incomes, poor households spend a larger share of their budget on food, leaving less for other necessities. They may cut back on nutritious items like pulses, vegetables, and milk.

2. Nutritional downgrade: Households coping with food inflation often substitute cheaper, calorie-dense but nutrient-poor foods (refined cereals) for more expensive nutritious foods (proteins, fruits, vegetables), worsening malnutrition.

3. Uneven impact: Rural labourers, urban informal workers, and fixed-income groups suffer the most because their wages do not keep pace with rising prices.

4. Buffer stock strain: When market prices spike, government reliance on buffer stocks and PDS increases, straining fiscal resources and procurement capacity.

5. Social unrest: Sustained food inflation can trigger protests and political instability, as seen during the onion and pulse price spikes in various years.

6. Policy response: The government uses PDS subsidies, export bans, import duty cuts, and stock limits to moderate prices. The NFSA's fixed prices (Rs 2–3/kg) provide a shield against inflation for covered households.