THE SAGA OF FOOD SECURITY IN WEST BENGAL
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/granthaalayah.v8.i1.2020.267Keywords:
Starvation and Malnutrition, National Food Security Act, Food Grain Security, Indebted Farmers, Minimum Support Price, Public Distribution SystemAbstract [English]
Undivided Bengal in India was struck by series of famines during the pre-colonial and colonial periods. In post partition era though there is no record of famine, starvation and malnutrition are not unknown in West Bengal among the people lying below the poverty line. Lacunae in the public distribution system might be one major hurdle. Implementation of several welfare programs and National Food Security Act, 2013 seems to be conducive to control the menace of starvation. But the concept of food security has been deduced to food grain security only without any provision of protein, minerals and vitamins, the essential ingredients of nutrition. Nutrition of mothers, children and senior citizens along with male bias of nutrition—all are in question now. Throughout India while farmers are living in debt from hand to mouth, agriculture is no more a lucrative occupation. Several measures have been introduced to combat such a disastrous situation viz. efficient storage and marketing system, loan waiver, bank transfer of grant-in-aid, minimum support price and efficient public distribution system, apart from targeted nutrition schemes. But no one can be considered as effective action so far to break the ice.
Downloads
References
Agarwal, P. and Kumarswami, D., 2012, Food Price Inflation in India: Causes and Cures, IEG working paper, No. 318, New Delhi, Institute of Economic Growth, 2012 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2259228
Dev, S. M. and Sharma, A. N., Food Security in India: Performance, Challenges and Policies, New Delh, Oxfam India working papers series- VII, 2010
Dorin, B., India and Africa in the Global Agricultural System (1961-2050): Towards a New Socio-technical Regime? Mumbai, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol.-LII, Nos.25-26, 2017
Dreze, J. and Sen, A, Hunger and Public Action, New Delhi, Oxford University Press, 1989
Dreze, J., Gupta, P., Khera, R., Pimenta, I., Casting the Net: India’s Public Distribution System after the Food Security Act, Mumbai, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol.-LIV, No.6, 2019 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3177691
Ghosh, J., The Indian Economy (1970-2003), The Cambridge Economic History of India, Vol.-II, c.1757-2003, Hyderabad, Orient Longman Pvt. Ltd. in association with Cambridge University Press, 2004
Patanaik, U., The Republic of Hunger and other Essays, Gurgaon, Three Essays Collective, 2011
Sekhar, C. S. C., Roy, D. and Bhatt, Y., Food Inflation and Food Price Volatility in India: Trends and Determinants, IFPRI Discussion Paper 01640, New Delhi, India International Food Policy Research Institute, 2017
Shiva, V, Who Really Feeds the World, New Delhi, Women Unlimited, 2017
Singh, D.N. and Singh, K.N., Perspectives on Rural Development: Some Basic Issues and Approaches, Rural Development in India- Problems, Strategies and Approaches, Varanasi, National Geographical Society of India, Banaras Hindu University, 1985
Swaminathan, M, Food Security Act, New Delhi, Yojana, (Bengali Version), 2013
Swaminathan, S., Sustainable Food Security, New Delhi, Yojana, Vol.-LIV, 2010 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1142/7414
Ibid, Food to Nutrition Security, New Delhi, Yojana, Vol.-LXII, 2018
Ibid, Increase of Productivity and Profit in Agriculture through Exploration of New Technology, New Delhi, Yojana (Bengali Version), 2019
Vhurumuku, E., Food Security Indicators: Integrating Nutrition and Food Security, Programming for Emergency Response Workshop, Rome, Italy, World Food Program, 2014
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
With the licence CC-BY, authors retain the copyright, allowing anyone to download, reuse, re-print, modify, distribute, and/or copy their contribution. The work must be properly attributed to its author.
It is not necessary to ask for further permission from the author or journal board.
This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.