Soon after independence, especially in post-Green Revolution era, India strived for ‘Food for AII’ by developing technological interventions, supporting policies and strategies and a vast network of public distribution system. These initiatives enabled the country to increase the production of food grains by 5-fold, horticultural crops by 6-fold, fish by 12-fold, milk by 8-fold, and eggs by 27-fold since 1950-51.
Recent Developments Food Security: FAO Report 2018 According to FAO estimates in ‘The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, 2018’ report, 195.9 million people are undernourished in India. Key Highlights:
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Food Security: Government’s Interventions
Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS), 1975
Antyodaya Anna Yojana, 2000
Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) - Sabla 2010-11
Midday Meal Scheme (1995)
National Nutrition Mission, (POSHAN Abhiyan), 2018
Zero Hunger Programme, 2017
End-to-End Computerization of TPDS Operations
National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 To provide for food and nutritional security in human life cycle approach, by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices. Some of the basic features are
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Launch of Hybrid Model of DBT
Intra-State Portability of Ration Cards
Integrated Management of PDS (IM-PDS)
Launch of ePoSm Transactions Portal
Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana
State Initiatives
National/International Year of Millets India (Union Ministry of Agriculture) has written to Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of United Nations (UN) proposing declaration of year 2019 as “International Year of Millets” but the FAO has declared 2023 as ‘International Year of Millets’. India celebrated 2018 as National Year of Millets. It is promoting cultivation of millets as part of this celebration by amending cropping pattern of areas which are especially susceptible to climate change. |