Quote:
Originally Posted by jai_praqas
HI ALL
THIS THREAD IS BEING STARTED FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE SECTION ISSUES OF SOCIAL CONCERN OF IRMA ( Institute of Rural Management, Anand ).
All the puys, who subscribe for this thread, are requested to post at least 5 useful materials on this topic every day, as the D - DAY for IRMA is at hand.
Regards..... |
Let's begin with the following....
India is the second largest producer of food grains in the world, yet
over 300 million people in without two square meals a day. According
to the global hunger index (GHI) 2008, India ranks 66th in a list of
88 countries. With over 200 million people unsure about accessing
their daily bread, 50 percent of our children undernourished and
stunted, and about 68 out of 1000 dying before the age of one year,
food security is undoubtedly a major concern and top priority of the
government today. In fact, it has been so for successive governments
of independent India. Over the various five years plan periods we have
been working towards increasing agriculture agricultural production on
one hand, and developing an efficient mechanism for reaching food to
every needy person in the most inaccessible of conditions, on the
other.
Our farmers have done exceedingly well in increasing agricultural
production over the years. We have come a long way from conditions of
recurrent food scarcity to a condition where our granaries with FCI
are well stocked. Yet with our growing population, the threat of
climate change and adverse monsoon conditions every now and then, one
wonders whether our present performance level is something to be
satisfied about. We still compare very poorly with the world's highest
productivity- just about 15- 20%. Which means there is a lot of scope
for improvement. And considering that we will have almost twice as
many mouths to feed by the year 2050.
Besides raising agricultural production, the other vital aspect which
is perhaps of graver concern to India, is reaching done regularly and
at affordable prices to the common man. Our public distribution
system, the largest such network in the world, has evolved over the
years, and targets those below poverty line. We have also had in place
schemes like Antyodaya Anna Yojna, Annapurna and now NREGA, to address
the problems of poverty and hunger
While these schemes have certainly brought food to the homes of
millions, they have their own limitations as is obvious from India's
position in the world hunger index.
The proposed National Food Security Act (NFSA) may be an important
step towards eradicating hunger and reducing malnutrition in the
country. While presenting the Union Budget 2009-10 the finance
minister mr. Pranab Mukherjee had announce that the work on this has
begun in right earnest. Implementation of this Act will ensure that
every BPL case holder gets 25 kg of either rice or wheat at Rs.3 a kg
every month.
Poor productivity, inefficient and cost-ineffective distribution
poverty vagaries of nature and the impending threat of climate change,
the challenges to food security are many. Efforts are being made to
face the same. The government, the community, non-government
organisations are all pooling in their resources. Success should not
evade us for long.
From KURUKSHETRA.
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