Food Security: Indian Perspective

Abstract

The issue of Food security, climate change, and environmental problems are all closely related to each other.   Our economy is agro-based economy. So here, agricultural sector plays a pivotal role.  Draft National Food Security Bill was introduced  2years ago.  The Supreme Court of India has declared right to food as a fundamental right to life.  Since independence, series of measures have been taken by the Govt. However, the number of undernourished persons have increased from 210 million in 1992 to 252 million in 2004-06. India is about half of the worlds’ undernourished   children. India’s position is deteriorating day by day. Government of India fixed a quantity of 35 kg. of food grain per head per month for the people staying below poverty line.   Actual determination of the poor people is very confusing. Different institutions ( National & International) in different time introduces various measures to determine the extent of poverty and to find out the no of poor people. According to World Bank standard the people whose earnings are $1.25 per day are included in the group of   Extremely poor  and the group of people whose earnings are $2 per day are counted as Moderately poor.  In India it is assumed that 50% people are lying under poverty line ( N.C. Saksena  committee report ).  According to Tendulkar committee report, 42 % of people in our country are lying under the poverty line. After so many years of study, it has not been decided that how many persons are lying below the poverty  line actually.  According to the Planning Commission, in Rural area , people whose earnings are <Rs. 750 per month & in urban area < Rs. 870 per month are lying below the poverty line. There is not a big difference among the condition of the people who lies below the poverty line or just above the poverty line.