LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (4 MARKS) of Food Security in India Class 9th Social Science Economics
- LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (4 MARKS)
What is the difference between PDS and TPDS? Ans. Difference between PDS and TPDS :
The food procured by the FCI is distributed through fair price shops among the poor.
This is called public distribution system. There was no discrimination between the poor and non poor under PDS. Under the TPDS, the government has announced separate issue prices for people below poverty line (BPL) and for above poverty line (APL) families. In December 2000, two special schemes were launched to make the TPDS more focussed and targeted towards the poor. These were Antyodayo Anna Yojana (AAY) and the Annapurna Scheme (APS). The two schemes were linked with TPDS.
Under the AAY, poor families were identified by the respective state rural development boards. Twenty-five kilograms of foodgrains were made available to each eligible family at highly subsidised rate of Rs 2 per kg for wheat and Rs 3 per kg for rice. This quantity has been raised from 25 to 35 kg with effect from April 2002.
Discuss the role of government in the stabilisation of food grain prices. Ans. Government’s Measures to Stabilise foodgrain prices.
Our government has adopted the following measures to stabilise food grain prices.
- The government has often resorted to
importof foodgrains whenever it became necessary. For example, it entered into the PL 480 agreement with
USAin 1956 to import food grain to face food crisis in the
- It tries to maintain price stability through buffer stocks. It buys foodgrains during crop season when prices fall and
sellthem when prices tend to rise in times of shortage. Had the government not purchased the food grains, their prices might have fallen due to increased supply in the market. Similarly, in the times of shortage, when these foodgrains are supplied to the consumers at subsidised prices, their prices do not rise
Explain briefly the measures undertaken by the government to increase the production and supply of foodgrains.
Ans. Government’s measures to increase the production and supply of foodgrains
Main steps undertaken by the government in this regard are as follows :
- Land Reform Measures : Our government introduced several land reform measures soon after independence to increase domestic production of These measures included (i) abolition of intermediaries to transfer land to the actual tiller (ii) tenancy reforms to regulate rents paid by the tenants to the landlords (iii) imposition of ceiling on landholdings to procure surplus land for distribution among the landless.
- Provision of Institutional Credit. To provide cheap and adequate agricultural finance many institutional credit agencies were set up. The expansion of institutional credit to farmers were made especially through cooperatives and commercial banks. As a result, the importance of village moneylenders, who used to exploit the farmers by charging high rates of interest, has drastically declined. Initially, only four percent of the total agricultural credit was advanced by cooperatives and commercial banks in 1950-51. Now their percentage share rose to 89 percent in 2004-05.
- New Agricultural New agricultural strategy was introduced which resulted in the Green Revolution, especially in the production of wheat and rice. Total production of foodgrain has increased from 50.8 million tonnes in 1950-51 to 212.0 million tonnes in 2003-04.
Explain the paradox of excess stocks of food grains and starvation. Ans. Paradox of Excess Stocks and Starvation.
India has experienced a paradoxical situation in recent years. While the granaries of the government are overflowing with excess foodgrain stock, we also find people without food. We, in India, find widespread hunger even when we have excess stock of foodgrains. The main reason for this unfortunate situation is that many poor families do not have enough purchasing power (i.e. money income) to buy food. Over one-fifth of the country’s population suffers from chronic hunger. They have to go to their beds with empty stomach. A good food security network, therefore, should not only ensure adequate physical availability of food but also increase the capabilities of the poor to buy food.
To tackle this unfortunate situation, our government has launched several special poverty alleviation programmes. These programmes aim at increasing income of the poor so as to enable them to buy food.
- Point out the major defects of India’s food security system. Ans. Defects of India’s Food Security
System :
The major flaws/drawbacks of food security system in India are as follows :
- Limited Benefit to the
Thepoor has not benefited much from the PDS. They have depended to a great extent on the open market for most of the commodities. Ration cards are issued only to those households who have proper residential addresses. Hence, a large number of homeless poor could not be covered under the PDS.
- Leakages from Another defect of PDS relates to the problem of leakages of goods from PDS to open market. The shopkeepers who are running ration shops sell ration in the open market at higher prices instead of selling to ration card-holders at subsidised prices.
- Increase in Prices. The PDS has also failed to protect the poor against price rise. There have been frequent increases in procurement and issue prices. Moreover, excessive buffer stocks of foodgrains
hasreduced its quantity available in the open market. This has also put an upward pressure on the market prices of food
- Rising Burden of Food Subsidy. PDS is highly subsidised in India. This has put a huge fiscal burden on the government. For example, food subsidy burden has risen from Rs 602 crore in 1980-81 to Rs 25,800 crore in 2003-04.
- What are the major functions of the Food Corporation of India? [2011 (T-2)] The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has the following major
functions :-
- FCI purchases wheat and rice from the farmers in states where there is surplus
- They announce Minimum Support Price (MSP) on which government buy the surplus from the
- They keep the record and
mantainthe buffer
- Describe four main advantages of the Public Distribution [2011 (T-2)] Ans. The main advantages of Public Distribution System
are :-
- It is the most effective instrument of government policy over the years in stabilising prices and making food available to consumers at affordable
- It averts widespread hunger and famine by supplying food from surplus regions of the country to the deficit
- It revises the prices of food grains in favour of poor
- The declaration of minimum support price and procurement has contributed to an increase in food grains production and provided income security to farmers in certain
- How does PDS ensure food security in India? [2011 (T-2)] Ans. PDS or public distribution system distribute the food grains by the help of ration shops among the poorer sections of the society. Presently there
are4.6 lakh ration shops all over the country. Ration shops
also knownas fair price shops who keep the stock of foodgrains, sugar and cooking kerosene oil. These items are sold to people at a price lower than the market price.
Any family with a ration card can buy a stipulated amount of these items (e.g. 35 kg of grains, 5 litres of kerosene, 5 kgs of sugar etc.) every month from the ration shop. PDS keeps on revising the prices in favour of urban poors.
What are the problems of the functioning of the ration shops? Describe any four of them.
[2011 (T-2)]
Ans. The problems of the functioning of the ration shops are :-
- Irregular opening of ration shops and selling poor quality grains at ration
- Massive unsold foodgrains that
pilesup at ration shops become a big problem for
- A family even slightly above poverty line gets very little discounts at ration shop. The prices are almost as high as open market
- The category of ration cards and range of prices do not exist
Describe in four points your awareness about National Food for Work Programme.
[2011 (T-2)]
Ans. (i) National Food for Work Programme was launched on November 14, 2004 in 150 most backward districts of the country.
- The programme is open to all rural poor who are in need of wage employment and desire to do manual unskilled
- It is a 100 percent centrally-sponsored scheme and the food grains are provided to states free of
- For
year2004-05, Rs 2020 crores have been allocated for the programme in addition to 20 lakh tonnes of food
Explain how Green Revolution helped India to be self-sufficient in food grain production.
[2011 (T-2)]
Ans. Green Revolution was a policy adopted by Indian policy makers for the growth in production of wheat and rice. HYV seeds were introduced and there was massive increase in production of wheat and rice. The increase in foodgrains was, however, disproportionate. The highest rate of growth was achieved in Punjab and Haryana, where foodgrain production jumped from 7.23
million tonnes in 1964-65 to reach an all-time high of 30.33 million tonnes in 1995-96. Production of rice was recorded to rise significantly in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
(Production of foodgrains in India) (Source : Economic Survey 2004-05)
Write a note on the role of cooperatives in providing food and related items.
[2011 (T-2)]
Ans. The cooperatives also play an important role in food security in India, especially in southern and western parts of the country.
- They set up shops to sell low price goods to poor people. For example, Mother Dairy in Delhi sells milk and vegetables to consumers at controlled rates decided by the Government of
- Cooperatives like Academy of Development Science (ADS) has facilitated a network of NGOs for setting up grain banks. ADS works in Maharashtra. They also organise training and capacity building programmes on food security for NGOs. The ADS grain bank programme is
acknolwledgedas a successful and
innonativefood security
NCERT Textbook Questions Solution’s of Food Security in India Class 9th Social Science Economics
NCERT TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS
Questions Within The Lesson
(a) Why is agriculture a seasonal activity?
- Why is Ramu unemployed for about four months in a year?
- What does Ramu do when he is unemployed?
- Who are supplementing income in Ramu’s family?
- Why does Ramu face difficulty when he is unable to get work?
- When is Ramu food insecure?
Ans. (a) Agriculture is a seasonal occupation because farmars remain out of work for 4 to 5 months in a year.
- Because Ramu works as a casual labourer in agriculture. Agriculture being a seasonal activity, Ramu gets works only during the times of sowing, transplanting and harvesting. He remains unemployed for about 4 months during the period of plant cultivation and maturing in a
- He looks for work in other activities such as construction activities, brick laying etc. in the
- Ramu’s three sons and food grower also work on the field. His wife works as a house cleaner for the livestock, removing and managing cow
- Ramu is food insecure during 4 months when he remains
(a) Does Ahmed have a regular income from rickshaw-pulling?
(b) How does the yellow card help Ahmed run his family even with small earnings from rickshaw-pulling?
Ans. (a) No, Ahmed’s earning from rickshaw-pulling fluctuates every day.
(b) With his yellow card, Ahmed gets sufficient quantity of wheat, rice, sugar and kerosene oil for his daily requirements. He gets these essential items at half of the market price. In this way, Ahmed is able to manage his family even with small earnings.
Graph 4.1 : Production of Food grains in India (Million Tonnes)
Source : Economic Survey 2004-05.
Study the Graph 4.1 and answer the following questions :
- In which year did our country cross the 200 million tonnes per year mark in food grain produciton?
- In which decade did India experience the highest decadal increase in food grain production?
- Is production increase consistent in India since 2000-01?
Ans. (a) In 2001-02 (212.9 million tonnes) in 20.3-04 (213.5 million tonnes)
(b) During 1980-81 to 1990-91
(c) No.
Graph 4.2 : Central Food grains (Wheat + Rice) Stock and Minimum Buffer Norm (Million Tonnes)
Study the Graph 4.2 and answer the following questions :
- In which recent year food grain stock with the government was maximum?
- What is the minimum buffer stock norm for the FCI?
- Why were the FCI granaries overflowing with food grains? Ans. In 2002
- 3 million tonnes
- Because poor people were not able to buy
QUESTIONS IN THE EXERCISE
When is food security ensured ?
Ans. Food security is ensured under the following conditions :
- When food is available in adequate quantity as well as quality to meet nutritional requirements.
- When food is within the reach of every
- When an individual has enough money to buy sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet one’s dietary
Which are the people more prone to food insecurity? [Important] Ans. People more prone to food insecurity are :
- Landless and small farmers
- Traditional artisans
- Providers of traditional services
- Petty self-employed persons and
- Beggars
Which states are more foodinsecure in India? Ans. More food insecure states of India:
The states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, parts of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are more food-insecure in India.
- Do you believe that Green Revolution has made India self-sufficient in foodgrains? How? After Independence, Indian policy-makers adopted all possible measures to achieve self-sufficiency in food grains. India adopted a new strategy in agriculture which resulted in
the Green Revolution. Green Revolution took place especially in the production of wheat and rice. The core of this new strategy was the use of HYV seeds along with chemical fertilizer and assured water supplies. As a result, total production of foodgrains increased from 50.8 million tonnes in 1950-51 to 212.0 million tonnes in 2003-04. The largest contribution came from wheat, whose production rose from 6.4 million tonnes to 72.1 million tonnes.
A section of people in India are still without food. Explain.
Ans. Despite large increase in foodgrain production we find people without food in India. Poor people suffer from chronic hunger. They find themselves unable to buy food. Over one-fifth of the country’s population still suffers from chronic hunger.
What happens to the supply of food when there is a disaster or a calamity?
Ans. The supply of food is adversely affected during a natural calamity or disaster. Due to a natural calamity, say drought, the production of food grains is less and hence supply decreases.
- Differentiate between seasonal hunger and chronic [Important] Ans. Hunger has seasonal and chronic dimensions. Seasonal hunger is a consequence of seasonal nature of work. For example, agriculture in India is seasonal occupation. Farm labourers remain out of work during some months of the year. Hence, during off-season poor people are
not able to buy food. On the other hand, chronic hunger exists among people who are not able to buy food because of their very low income. For example land less labourers earn very less to earn enough for food.
What has our government done to provide food security for the poor? Discuss any two schemes launched by the government.
Ans. Our government has undertaken a number of measures to provide food security for the poor.
A brief account of these measures is given below :
- Maintenance of Buffer Our government maintains buffer stock of foodgrains through Food Corporation of India. The FCI purchases wheat and rice from the farmers in surplus states and stores in granaries.
- Public Distribution System (PDS). The food procured by the FCI is distributed among the poor through ration shops. Presently, there are about 4.6 lakh ration shops in the country.
- Nutritional Programmes. In order to provide nutritional security, our government has launched various schemes. Mid-day meal scheme for schoolchildren, scheme for supply of foodgrains to scheduled castes/scheduled tribes and special nutrition programmes for pregnant/nursing mothers are examples of such
In 2000, two special schemes were launched. One, Antyodaya Anna Yojana and second, the Annapurna Schemes. The former relate to the poorest of the poor, while the latter targets indigent senior citizens. The functioning of these two schemes was linked with the PDS. Under AAY scheme, thirty-five kilograms of foodgrains are made available to each eligible family at a rate of Rs 2 per kg for wheat and Rs 3 per kg for rice.
Under APS, 10 kilograms of food grains is made available to eligible persons free of cost.
- Why is buffer stock created by the government? [Important] Ans. The government creates buffer stock of foodgrains to protect the interest of both farmers as well as Farmers’ interests are protected when they are assured to get a certain
minimum price for their crops. This price is called ‘minimum support price’.
The interests of the consumers are protected when the procured food is made available to the consumers at subsidised rates. This task is done through fair price shops.
Write notes on : [Important]
- Minimum Support Price
- Issue Price
- Fair Price Shops
Ans. (a) Minimum Support Price
With a view to provide incentives to the farmers for raising the production of their crops, the government announces price of some crops before the sowing season. The government remains ready to purchase their crops at these pre-announced prices. This price is called minimum support price (MSP).
(b) Issue Price
The purchased foodgrains are stored in granaries. This is done to distribute foodgrains among the poorer section of the society. The government makes foodgrains available to the poor at a price much lower than the market price. This is known as issue price.
(c) Fair Price Shops
The food procured by the government is distributed among the poor. This task is done through government regulated shops which are known as fair price shops.
- What are the problems of the functioning of ration shops? [Important] Ans. There are various problem of the functioning of ration shops such as ;
- Ration cards are issued only to those people who have their proper residential addresses. Hence a large number of homeless poor fail to get ration from these
- The owners of these shops sell ration in the open market at higher
- Sometimes shopkeepers make bogus entries in the ration
Write a note on the role of cooperatives in providing food and related items.
[Important]
Ans. Role of Cooperatives in providing food and related items is as follows:-
The cooperatives are playing an important role in food security in India, especially in the southern and western parts of the country. The cooperative societies set up shops to sell goods to the poor people at lower prices. For example, out of all fair price shops operating in Tamil Nadu, nearly 94 percent are being run by the cooperatives. In Delhi, Mother Dairy is providing milk and vegetables to the consumers at controlled prices which are decided by the Delhi Government. Amul is another example in this regard. It has brought about the White Revolution in the country. There are many more cooperatives and NGOs also working intensively towards this direction.
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (4 MARKS) of Poverty as a Challenge Class 9th Social Science Economics
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (4 MARKS)
Q.1. What are the main features of poverty in India?
Ans. Features of Poverty in India :Following are the main features of poverty in India.
(1)Declining Trend : The proportion of people below poverty line in India had variations.
Poverty ratio increased during the decade of the 1970s. It decreased sharply during the
decade of the 1980s. During the decade of 1990s, there was first a rise following the
period of economic reforms and then a fall in the incidence of poverty. Since 1993-94, the
total number of the poor shows a declining trend.
(2)Inter-State Variations : Poverty is not equally distributed through the country. A recent
study shows that more than 90 per cent of India’s rural poor live in the states of Andhra
Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu,
Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Further, 50 per cent of India’s rural poor live in three
states (namely, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh). As against this, the poverty ratio
in the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab and Haryana is quite low.
(3)Nature of Poverty : Poverty is visible both in our rural and urban areas. The rural poor
consist of people of low castes and tribal groups. The major group of the poor include
landless agricultural labourers, small and marginal farmers, rural artisans, etc.
In the urban sector, the poor include largely unemployed, underemployed or persons employed
in low productivity occupations such as rickshawpullers, cobblers, street vendors.
Q.2. Describe in brief the important poverty alleviation programmes undertaken by the
Government of India.
Ans. Poverty Alleviation Programmes of India :The important poverty alleviation programmes
which are in operation in rural and urban areas are :
(1)Prime Minister Rojgar Yojana (PMRY) : PMRY was launched on 2 October 1993. The
aim of this programme is to create self-employment opportunities for educated youth in
rural areas and small towns. They are helped in setting up small business and industries.
(2)Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) : SGSY was launched on 1 April,
1999. It aims at promoting enterprises at the village level. It helps the rural people to
organise themselves into self-help groups. The objective of SGSY is to bring the existing
poor families above the poverty line by providing them income generation assets through
a mix of bank credit and government subsidy.
(3)Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY) : PMGY was introduced in 2000. Its
objective is to focus on village level development in five critical areas, that is, primary
health, primary education, rural shelter, rural drinking water and rural roads. As a result
of this, the quality of life of rural people will improve.
(4)Sampoorna Grameen Rojgar Yojana (SGRY) : This programme was launched in
September 2001. The objectives of this scheme are :
(a) to provide wage employment along with food security in the rural areas.
(b) to create durable community, social and economic assets.
The ongoing Employment Assurance Scheme and JGSY would be merged with SGRY.
(5)National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) : NREGA was passed in
September 2005. The Act provides for 100-days assured employment to every rural
household in 200 districts. Later, the scheme will be extended to 600 districts.
However, the results of these programmes have not been very effective. One of the major
reasons for their less effectiveness is the lack of proper implementation and right targeting.
Also, there has been overlapping of schemes. Therefore, the major emphasis in recent years
is on their proper monitoring.
Q.3. What is meant by ‘vulnerability’ to poverty? Which economic categories are more
vulnerable to poverty in India? [CBSE 2010]
Ans. Vulnerability to poverty :It is a measure which describes the greater probability of certain
communities or individuals (such as widow or a physically handicapped person) of becoming
or remaining poor in coming years.
z Economic categories more vulnerable to poverty in India : Schedule tribes, urban
casual labourers, rural agriculture labourers, scheduled castes are major economic groups,
which are more vulnerable to poverty. Among these, scheduled tribes contribute to 51%
of poverty in India which average Indian poverty ratio is 26.
Graph 3.1 : Poverty in India 2000 : Most Vulnerable Groups.
Source : Reports on Employment and Unemployment among Social Groups in India No.
469,472, NSSO, Ministry of Statistics, Programme Implementation, Govt. of India.
| Q.4. How is the illiteracy responsible for Poverty in India? Explain. | [2011 (T-2)] |
| Ans. Illiteracy is responsible for poverty in India as it causes the vicious circle of life where a poor | |
| remains poor. Educated parents teach their children and make them more productive towards | |
| the economic growth. They are more conscious about the education, health and hygiene of their | |
| children. On the other hand, illiterate parents are not aware and conscious about providing | |
| better education, health and hygiene facilities to their children. Thus they do not look for other | |
| occupational facilities other than traditional one, therefore remain poor. |
Q.5. How can poverty be reduced in future in India? Suggest any four points. [2011 (T-2)]
Ans.Poverty can be reduced in the following ways:-
(i) Increasing empowerment of women and the economically weaker sections of society.
(ii) Fostering the economic growth.
(iii) Increasing the stress on universal free elementary education.
(iv) Caste and gender discrimination to be avoided.
(v) Improving health care, education and job security.
(vi) Removing unequality of wealth among people.
Q.6. Mention the two planks on which the current anti-poverty strategy of the government is
based. Why were the poverty alleviation programmes not successful in most parts of
India? [2011 (T-2)]
Ans.The current anti-poverty strategy of the government is based broadly on two planks:
(i) Promotion of economic growth.
(ii) Targeted anti-poverty programmes.
The results of poverty alleviation programmes have been mixed. The major reasons for less
effectiveness are :-
(i) Lack of proper implementation and right targeting.
(ii) Overlapping of a number of schemes.
They lack proper monitoring and therefore the benefits of these schemes do not fully reach out
to the deserving poor.
| Q.7. NREGA 2005 is an important anti-poverty programme. Explain. | [2011 (T-2)] |
| Ans. NREGA stands for National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005. Following things were | |
| included in the scheme : | |
| (i) It aims at providing 100-days assured employment every year to every rural household. | |
| (ii) It initially started for 200 districts but later on extended to 600 districts. | |
| (iii) One-third of the proposed jobs were reserved for women. | |
| (iv) The Central government established National Employment Guarantee Funds and state | |
| government established State Employment Guarantee Funds for implementation of the | |
| scheme. | |
| (v) If an applicant is not provided employment within fifteen days he/she will be entitled to | |
| a daily unemployment allowance. | |
| Q.8. Social exclusion can be both a cause as well as consequence of poverty. Explain. |
[2011 (T-2)]
Ans.Social exclusion can be seen in the terms of poors who have to live only in a poor surrounding
with other poor people. Poor people are excluded from better surroundings with better-off
people. For example, in India people belonging to certain lower castes (i.e., Scheduled Castes)
are excluded from equal opportunities. Poor people of certain castes have to live in a separate
locality and are excluded from mixing with better-off people. Due to such discrimination These
people are deprived of better employment and growth opportunities. Social exclusion thus lead
to poverty and can cause more damage than having a very low income.
Q.9. Who are the most vulnerable as far as poverty is concerned? How have the states of West
Bengal, Punjab and Tamil Nadu tackled poverty? [2011 (T-2)]
Ans. The most vulnerable groups to poverty are :
(i) Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
(ii) Rural agricultural labour
(iii) Urban casual labour
States tackled poverty in the following ways :-
1.West Bengal :- Land reform measures have helped in reducing poverty.
2.Punjab :- Reduce poverty with high growth rates of agriculture.
3.Tamil Nadu :- Public distribution of foodgrains has reduced the poverty.