Class 9 Social Science (Economics) Chapter 4 Food Security In India

Key Concept: Revamped Public Distribution System, RPDS

a) Both Assertion and Reason are true, and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion.

[Solution Description]

The assertion states that the RPDS was introduced in 1992 to ensure access to essential food grains at affordable prices in remote and backward areas, which is accurate according to the syllabus. The reason claims that the primary objective of RPDS was to address the inefficiencies of the PDS by focusing on underserved regions. This is also correct as the RPDS aimed to extend the benefits of the PDS to such areas. Furthermore, the reason correctly explains the assertion because addressing inefficiencies by focusing on underserved regions directly contributes to ensuring access to essential food grains in those areas. Therefore, both the assertion and reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion.

Key Concept: Wheat Revolution

d) 1968

[Solution Description]

Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, officially recorded the impressive strides of the Green Revolution in agriculture by releasing a special stamp entitled ‘Wheat Revolution’ in July 1968.

Key Concept: Public Distribution System

b) To distribute food to the poorer section of society

[Solution Description]

The Public Distribution System (PDS) is a government-regulated system that distributes food procured by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to the poorer sections of society through ration shops.

Key Concept: Role of Cooperatives in Food Security

d) Tamil Nadu

[Solution Description]

The syllabus mentions that in Tamil Nadu, around 94 per cent of all fair price shops are run by cooperatives. This is the highest percentage compared to other states mentioned in the syllabus.

Key Concept: Grain Banks Impact

c) Improved access to food through grain banks

[Solution Description] The ADS Grain Bank programme has been recognized as a successful and innovative intervention in food security. It has facilitated the setup of grain banks in various regions, which has improved access to food. The programme has also influenced government policies and encouraged replication through other NGOs, contributing significantly to food security in Maharashtra.

Key Concept: Food insecurity, Urban areas

b) Engagement in ill-paid occupations

[Solution Description]

In urban areas, the food insecure families are those whose working members are generally employed in ill-paid occupations and casual labour markets. These workers are largely engaged in seasonal activities and are paid very low wages that just ensure bare survival. This instability and low income directly contribute to their food insecurity.

Key Concept: Problems in PDS

b) Diversion of good quality grains to the open market

[Solution Description]

Ration shops often have unsold stocks of poor quality grains because PDS dealers sometimes resort to malpractices like diverting good quality grains to the open market for better margins and selling poor quality grains at ration shops. This leads to a surplus of unsold, low-quality grains at the ration shops.

Key Concept: Cooperative Role in Food Security

b) Amul

[Solution Description]

Amul, a cooperative based in Gujarat, is credited with bringing about the White Revolution in India by transforming the dairy industry and ensuring milk and milk products are available to consumers at affordable prices.

Key Concept: Role of Cooperatives

b) Offering low priced goods to poor people

[Solution Description]

Cooperatives like Amul play a crucial role in ensuring food security by providing milk and milk products at controlled rates, thereby making them affordable for the general population. This helps in improving the nutritional status of the people, especially in rural areas. The White Revolution initiated by Amul has significantly increased milk production in India, contributing to the overall food security.

Key Concept: Concept: Components of Food Security System in India

b) Buffer stock

[Solution Description]

The Indian government’s food security system comprises two main components: buffer stock and the Public Distribution System (PDS). These components are designed to ensure the availability of food to all sections of society. The correct answer should mention one of these components.

Key Concept: Issue Price, Total Cost

c) \$180

[Solution Description]

Each person receives 5 kg of coarse grains per month. For a household of 3 members, the monthly allocation is $3 \times 5 = 15$ kg. The issue price of coarse grains is \$1 per kg, so the monthly cost is $15 \times 1 = \$15$. Over one year, the total cost is \$15 $\times$ 12 = \$180.

Key Concept: TPDS, BPL Cards

b) 343 rupees

[Solution Description]

Under the TPDS scheme, the price for wheat (\$W\$) for BPL families is \$4.15 per kg\$ and for rice (\$R\$) is \$5.65 per kg\$. The family purchases 35 kg of wheat and 35 kg of rice.

Total cost for wheat: $35 \times 4.15 = 145.25$ rupees.

Total cost for rice: $35 \times 5.65 = 197.75$ rupees.

Total monthly expenditure: $145.25 + 197.75 = 343$ rupees.

Key Concept: PDS Card, Ration Shop

b) \$10

[Solution Description]

The market price of rice is \$2 per kg. With the PDS card, Ahmad pays half the market price: \$1 per kg. For 10 kg of rice, he pays: 10 kg * \$1/kg = \$10.

Key Concept: Antyodaya Anna Yojana

b) 2000

[Solution Description]

The Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) was launched in December 2000 as per the syllabus.

Key Concept: Food security definition, Public Distribution System

c) It distributes food grains at subsidized rates to the needy

[Solution Description]

The Public Distribution System (PDS) ensures food security by making food grains available at subsidized rates to the economically weaker sections of society. This system helps in maintaining the availability, accessibility, and affordability of food, especially during times of crisis or food shortages.

Key Concept: TPDS Challenges, Malpractices

c) Providing quality grains directly to consumers

[Solution Description]

The challenges in TPDS include malpractices by PDS dealers, such as diverting grains to the open market and selling poor quality grains at ration shops. Additionally, stock management issues arise when unsold stocks of poor quality grains pile up with the Food Corporation of India (FCI). However, providing quality grains directly to consumers without any discrepancies is not considered a malpractice but rather a desired outcome.

Key Concept: Entitlements Approach

b) Production, market exchange, and state-provided supplies

[Solution Description] Amartya Sen identified three main components of entitlements: what one can produce, what one can exchange in the market, and what is provided by the state or other social mechanisms. These components collectively ensure access to food.

Key Concept: Amartya Sen’s Contribution to Food Security

b) Entitlements

[Solution Description]

Amartya Sen introduced the concept of “entitlements” to explain how individuals access food. Entitlements are a combination of what one can produce, exchange in the market, and receive from state or socially provided supplies. This shifted the focus from mere availability to access.

Key Concept: Ration Card Types

c) Antyodaya cards

[Solution Description]

Under the PDS, Antyodaya cards are issued to the poorest of the poor as part of the ration card system.

Key Concept: Public Distribution System

b) Distributing food grains at subsidized prices

[Solution Description] The Public Distribution System (PDS) distributes food grains through government-regulated ration shops, making essential food items available to the poorer sections of society at subsidized prices.

Key Concept: Dimensions of Food Security

c) Affordability of food

[Solution Description] The “affordability” dimension of food security emphasizes that individuals must have enough financial resources to purchase sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs.

Key Concept: Public Distribution System

b) Ensuring food security for the poor

[Solution Description]

The primary objective of the Public Distribution System (PDS) in India is to ensure food security by providing essential commodities like foodgrains, sugar, and kerosene to the poorer sections of society at subsidized rates. It aims to stabilize prices and make food available at affordable prices to prevent hunger and famine.

Key Concept: Role of Cooperatives

b) They run around 94% of fair price shops

[Solution Description]

In Tamil Nadu, cooperatives play a significant role in ensuring food security by running approximately 94% of all fair price shops. These shops sell low-priced goods to economically disadvantaged sections of society, making essential commodities affordable.

Key Concept: Food-insecure population

c) Pregnant and nursing mothers and children under 5 years

[Solution Description]

The syllabus mentions that a large proportion of pregnant and nursing mothers and children under the age of 5 years constitute an important segment of the food-insecure population.

Key Concept: Chronic Hunger, Food Insecurity

d) Chronic hunger is a manifestation of prolonged food insecurity due to economic limitations.

[Solution Description]

Chronic hunger is a direct consequence of food insecurity, as it results from the persistent inability to access sufficient food due to economic constraints. Food insecurity encompasses both the lack of immediate access to food and the uncertainty about future access, leading to chronic hunger when these conditions persist over time.

Key Concept: Role of Cooperatives

c) Academy of Development Science

[Solution Description] The Academy of Development Science (ADS) in Maharashtra has facilitated a network of NGOs to set up grain banks in different regions. This initiative contributes to food security.

Key Concept: Impact of Calamities on Food Security

c) Shortage of food and price rise

[Solution Description]

During a natural calamity such as a drought, the immediate effect is a decrease in food production, leading to a shortage of food. This shortage causes prices to rise, making it difficult for some people to afford food, thereby affecting food security.

Key Concept: Irregular Opening of Shops

c) Inconvenience to beneficiaries

[Solution Description]

The irregular opening of PDS shops results in inconvenience to the beneficiaries, as they cannot access their entitled food grains on time, leading to dissatisfaction and increased food insecurity.

Key Concept: Economically backward states

c) High incidence of poverty

[Solution Description]

The syllabus emphasizes that economically backward states with high incidence of poverty, tribal and remote areas, and regions prone to natural disasters have disproportionately large numbers of food insecure people. Poverty is a key factor contributing to food insecurity.

Key Concept: Impact of TPDS on APL Families

b) The prices at ration shops are almost as high as open market prices.

[Solution Description] Under the TPDS, APL families receive very little discount on food grains compared to open market prices. This minimal price difference makes it less attractive for them to purchase from ration shops.

Key Concept: Buffer Stock

c) To distribute food grains in deficit areas and among the poorer sections of society

[Solution Description]

The buffer stock is maintained by the government to ensure food security in deficit areas and among the poorer sections of society. It helps distribute food grains at a lower price than the market price, especially during adverse weather conditions or calamities. The stock is procured through the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and stored in granaries.

Key Concept: MSP Impact

c) Punjab and Haryana

[Solution Description]

Punjab, Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh are the leading states that exert pressure for increased procurement at enhanced MSP.

Key Concept: Seasonal hunger, Agricultural cycles

b) Fluctuations in agricultural activities

[Solution Description]

Seasonal hunger in rural areas is primarily caused by the fluctuations in agricultural activities. During off-seasons or periods when crops are not being harvested, farmers and agricultural workers often face a lack of income and food supply. This directly leads to seasonal hunger as they are unable to secure consistent work or resources throughout the year.

Key Concept: Self-Sufficiency, Food Security System

c) Both introduction of high-yielding crop varieties and implementation of a food security system

[Solution Description]

The Green Revolution introduced high-yielding varieties of crops, leading to increased production. Additionally, the government implemented a carefully designed food security system to ensure the availability of foodgrains even during adverse conditions. Both these factors have been crucial in achieving and maintaining self-sufficiency in foodgrains.

Key Concept: Traditional artisans

c) Their income is irregular and insufficient

[Solution Description]

Traditional artisans often depend on their craft for livelihood, which may not provide stable income due to lack of demand or market fluctuations. This instability makes it difficult for them to consistently afford food, leading to food insecurity. Additionally, they may lack alternative sources of income or land to fall back on.

Key Concept: Malpractices in Ration Shops

b) A massive stockpile of foodgrains with FCI

[Solution Description]

When ration shops cannot sell their stock, especially poor-quality grains, it leads to a massive pile-up of foodgrains with the Food Corporation of India (FCI), which becomes a significant problem for the PDS system.

Key Concept: Food Security Dimensions, Affordability

c) Combination of production, exchange, and state-provided supplies

[Solution Description]

Amartya Sen emphasized that access to food depends on ‘entitlements’, which include what individuals can produce, exchange in the market, and receive from state or socially provided supplies. These entitlements ensure that individuals have the means to obtain sufficient food, thereby contributing to their food security.

Key Concept: History of Food Security, 1995 World Food Summit

c) Poverty eradication

[Solution Description]

The 1995 World Food Summit declared that poverty eradication is essential to improve access to food. This highlights the link between economic conditions and the ability of individuals to secure adequate nutrition.

Key Concept: PDS, TPDS, APL Cards

c) 126 INR

[Solution Description]

The issue price for APL families under TPDS is \$6.10/kg for wheat and \$8.30/kg for rice.

Step 1: Calculate the cost of 35 kg of wheat in PDS: $35 \times 6.10 = 213.50$ INR.

Step 2: Calculate the cost of 35 kg of rice in PDS: $35 \times 8.30 = 290.50$ INR.

Step 3: Total cost through PDS: $213.50 + 290.50 = 504.00$ INR.

Step 4: Calculate the cost of 35 kg of wheat in the open market: $35 \times 8 = 280$ INR.

Step 5: Calculate the cost of 35 kg of rice in the open market: $35 \times 10 = 350$ INR.

Step 6: Total cost in the open market: $280 + 350 = 630$ INR.

Step 7: Savings: $630 – 504 = 126$ INR.

Therefore, the family saves \$126 by purchasing through PDS instead of the open market.

Key Concept: Chronic Hunger, Seasonal Hunger

d) Seasonal hunger due to urban casual labor

[Solution Description]

The casual laborer is experiencing seasonal hunger because it is associated with the inability to get work for the entire year. In urban areas, seasonal hunger affects casual laborers who face reduced employment opportunities during specific times, such as the rainy season.

Key Concept: Food Insecurity, Social Composition

c) SCs, STs, and some sections of OBCs

[Solution Description] According to the syllabus, SCs, STs, and some sections of OBCs have a poor land base or very low land productivity, making them prone to food insecurity. This social composition, combined with economic challenges, increases their vulnerability.

Key Concept: Poverty Eradication

c) To improve access to food

[Solution Description]

The 1995 World Food Summit declaration recognizes that poverty eradication is essential to improve access to food, as poverty limits people’s ability to obtain sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.

Key Concept: Buffer Stock

d) To distribute food grains in deficit areas and among poorer sections

[Solution Description]

The buffer stock of food grains is maintained by the government to distribute food grains in deficit areas and among poorer sections of society at a price lower than the market price. It also helps address food shortages during adverse weather conditions or calamities.

Key Concept: Food Corporation of India

b) Food Corporation of India (FCI)

[Solution Description]

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is responsible for procuring buffer stock in India. It purchases wheat and rice from farmers in states with surplus production.

Key Concept: Green Revolution Impact

c) Uttar Pradesh

[Solution Description]

According to the data provided, Uttar Pradesh recorded a wheat production of 36 million tonnes in 2020–21, which is higher than Madhya Pradesh’s 18 million tonnes and other states mentioned. Therefore, the correct answer is Uttar Pradesh.

Key Concept: Impact of TPDS on APL families

c) The price for APL families is almost as high as open market price

[Solution Description]

Under TPDS, the price for APL families is almost as high as the open market price, so there is little discount offered at ration shops, making it less attractive for them to purchase from these shops.

Key Concept: Worst Affected Groups

c) Industrial workers

[Solution Description]

The syllabus specifies that the worst affected groups include landless people, traditional artisans, providers of traditional services, petty self-employed workers, and destitutes including beggars. Industrial workers are not listed among these groups, indicating that they are not considered one of the worst affected by food and nutrition insecurity.

Key Concept: Buffer Stock Consequences

b) High carrying costs and wastage.

[Solution Description] One of the main concerns associated with maintaining high levels of buffer stocks is the high carrying costs, along with wastage and deterioration in grain quality. These issues can make the storage of massive food stocks undesirable and wasteful.

Key Concept: Green Revolution, Regional Production

b) 2:1

[Solution Description]

The ratio of wheat production between Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh can be calculated as:

$\text{Ratio} = \frac{\text{Wheat Production in Uttar Pradesh}}{\text{Wheat Production in Madhya Pradesh}} = \frac{36}{18} = 2$

Therefore, the ratio is 2:1.

Key Concept: Accessibility of Food

c) Physical and economic access to food for all individuals

[Solution Description]

Accessibility in food security means that food is within reach of every person. This includes physical access to food markets and stores, as well as the absence of barriers such as transportation issues or geographical constraints. The correct answer is the option that aligns with this definition.

Key Concept: Impact of Calamities on Food Security

b) Decrease in food production

[Solution Description]

During a natural calamity like a drought, the most immediate effect is a decrease in food production, leading to a shortage of food. This shortage causes prices to rise, making food less affordable for some people. However, the initial impact is the reduction in production.

Key Concept: Worst Affected Groups in Urban Areas

c) Casual laborers in ill-paid occupations

[Solution Description]

The syllabus specifies that in urban areas, food insecure families are those whose working members are generally employed in ill-paid occupations and the casual labour market. These workers are largely engaged in seasonal activities and are paid very low wages that just ensure bare survival.