Food Security in India : A Study of District of Howrah

INTRODUCTION:The PDS evolved as a system of management of scarcity through the distribution of food grains at affordable prices. Over the years Targeted Public Distribution System has become an important part of the government's policy for the management of the food economy in the country. The concept of Food Security itself has gone through a complex process of evolution hence according to THE STATE OF FOOD INSECURITY ACT 2001 it can be defined as “ a situation that exists when all people at all times have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preference for an active and healthy life”. National Food Security Act 2013 is an act of the parliament to provide access to food grains at an affordable price and to ensure the right to live with dignity and matters connected thereof.HYPOTHESIS:My work seeks to argue that food nutritional level among low income is low and only public distribution of grains is insufficient for increasing the nutritional level and if PDS continues to be important even after 75 years of Independence. RESEARCH QUESTIONS:1) Regularity of food grains and supply of food grains pre-pandemic and pandemic2) Food security a comparative analysis of enrolment of organised and unorganised labour3) Food security and level of nutrition in lower income groups.METHODOLOGY:Primary Data has been collected from the district of Howrah mainly from the Panchayat areas of Ghoshpara and Nischinda. The universe of study is the district of Howrah Panchayat areas of Nischinda and Ghoshpara. Secondary data will be collected from local administration, and ration shops. It would also include data from the Government of West Bengal Panchayat site, the Human Development Index report for the state of West Bengal 2019, Woman and Child Development and the Ministry of Agriculture Government of West Bengal. This dissertation began on the 11th of November 2021 and is to be concluded by the 31st of March 2022. CONCLUSION:Even after 75 years of independence Poverty level might have decreased but the nutritional level continues to be low even to date among the low-income groups especially women and children, Gender disparity continues to plague the system also in terms of nutritional food consumed by them. Also in certain cases, affordability is a problem when it comes to nutritional food consumed after PDS grains