Chhattisgarh: Food Security

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Food Security is the very first norm of any socio-welfare economy. Considering the current situation of the increasing POVERTY along with increasing Population, food security is a major concern for any state.

Chhattisgarh government has enacted Food Security Act in 2012. It was passed on December 21, 2012, by the State Assembly unopposed to ensure access to adequate quantity of food and other requirements of good Nutrition to the people of the State, at affordable prices, at all times to live a life of dignity.’.

The Act divides households into four groups —

  1. Antodaya,
  2. Priority,
  3. General and
  4. Excluded households.

The priority households will have monthly Public Distribution System (PDS) entitlement of 35 kg rice, wheat flour, pulses, gram and iodized salt at subsidized price. The new act will make the acclaimed PDS more comprehensive. Nearly 90% of the provisions incorporated in the Act were already covered under the PDS.

Only about 10% of the state’s population — consisting of those who pay Income tax, households in non-scheduled areas that own more than 4 hectares of irrigated land or 8 hectares of non-irrigated land and households in urban areas that own a pukka house with an area more than 1,000 sq.ft. and are liable to pay property tax — are exempted from PDS.

There are 11,000 PDS shops mostly run by self-help groups located across 27 districts in the state.

The Act would benefit 42 lakh families living here. It will also cover families headed by a destitute, a widow or a differently abled person. It will also take care of poor, children living in hostels/ashrams, pregnant Women as well as those hit by disaster.

The decision to redefine beneficiaries of the state’s Food Security Scheme is in the wake of the huge burden on the exchequer given that 90% of the state’s 2.5 crore population is currently entitled to subsidized food. Also, PDS grain is getting diverted to the open market on a massive scale.

At present, close to 1.6 million tons of rice and about half a million tons of wheat are distributed through PDS in the state annually.

“Since the passage of the food security legislation, many joint families have started to split their families for getting higher amounts of food grains as entitlement under the PDS,” Anil Tuteja, MD, Chhattisgarh State Civil Supplies Corporation told FE.

The Chhattisgarh government’s food subsidy budget is estimated to rise to R4,600 crores in the current fiscal from R3,500 crores in the last fiscal.

Since the passage of food security legislation in December 2012, the state’s food subsidy budget has increased manifold — it was R900 crore in 2012-13.

Under the state food security legislation, about 16.4 lakh “most vulnerable” Antyodaya households get 35 kg of grain, mostly consisting of rice and wheat, at Rs. 1 per kg besides 2 kg of iodized salt free and 2 kg black gram and pulses at Rs 5 and Rs. 10 per kg, respectively.

Besides, the 46 lakh “priority households”, mostly belonging to landless laborers, small and marginal farmers, workers in urban the informal sector and households of construction workers, are entitled 35 kg food grains at Rs 2 kg while they also get free salt, black gram and pulses at the same quantity and prices as Antoyodaya households get.

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Chhattisgarh is a state in central India. It is the 10th largest state in India by area and the 17th most populous state. The state is known for its rich natural Resources, including coal, iron Ore, and bauxite. Chhattisgarh is also a major producer of rice, wheat, and pulses.

agriculture is the backbone of the Chhattisgarh economy. The state has a large number of small and marginal farmers. The main crops grown in Chhattisgarh are rice, wheat, pulses, oilseeds, and sugarcane. The state also has a significant Livestock population.

The Chhattisgarh government has taken several initiatives to improve the agricultural sector. These initiatives include providing subsidies for agricultural inputs, such as seeds, Fertilizers, and pesticides; providing loans to farmers at low interest rates; and setting up agricultural research and extension centers.

The government has also taken steps to improve the Marketing of agricultural produce. These initiatives include setting up agricultural markets, providing cold storage facilities, and promoting the export of agricultural products.

The Chhattisgarh government has also taken steps to improve the nutrition of its people. These initiatives include providing food subsidies to the poor, setting up nutrition centers, and promoting the consumption of nutritious food.

The Chhattisgarh government has also taken steps to reduce poverty. These initiatives include providing EMPLOYMENT opportunities, providing housing subsidies, and providing Education and Health care subsidies.

The Chhattisgarh government has also taken steps to improve the rural development. These initiatives include providing drinking water, electricity, and roads to rural areas; setting up rural health centers; and promoting the development of small and medium enterprises.

The Chhattisgarh government has also taken steps to promote self-help groups. These groups are formed by women and provide them with a platform to save Money, get loans, and start businesses.

The Chhattisgarh government has also taken steps to provide social safety nets to the poor. These nets include providing food subsidies, providing housing subsidies, and providing health care subsidies.

The Chhattisgarh government has also taken steps to promote women in agriculture. These initiatives include providing training to women farmers, providing loans to women farmers, and setting up women’s cooperatives.

The Chhattisgarh government has taken several initiatives to improve the food security of its people. These initiatives have helped to improve the agricultural sector, improve the nutrition of the people, reduce poverty, improve rural development, promote self-help groups, provide social safety nets, and promote women in agriculture.

However, there are still some challenges that need to be addressed. These challenges include the need to improve the Irrigation system, the need to improve the marketing of agricultural produce, the need to improve the storage facilities for agricultural produce, the need to improve the transportation system for agricultural produce, the need to improve the processing of agricultural produce, the need to improve the quality of agricultural produce, the need to improve the productivity of agricultural land, the need to reduce the cost of agricultural inputs, the need to improve the access to credit for farmers, the need to improve the access to agricultural extension Services, the need to improve the access to agricultural markets, the need to improve the access to education and health care for the poor, the need to improve the access to employment opportunities for the poor, the need to improve the access to housing for the poor, the need to improve the access to drinking water for the poor, the need to improve the access to electricity for the poor, the need to improve the access to roads for the poor, the need to improve the access to sanitation for the poor, the need to improve the access to social security for the poor, and the need to improve the access to women’s Empowerment for the poor.

The Chhattisgarh government is committed to addressing these challenges and improving the food security of its people.

Here are some frequently asked questions and short answers about food security:

  1. What is food security?
    Food security is a state in which all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

  2. What are the four pillars of food security?
    The four pillars of food security are availability, access, utilization, and stability.

  3. What are the main challenges to food security?
    The main challenges to food security are Climate change, conflict, economic shocks, and population Growth.

  4. What are some of the key indicators of food security?
    Some of the key indicators of food security include the prevalence of undernourishment, the prevalence of stunting, and the prevalence of wasting.

  5. What are some of the key interventions to improve food security?
    Some of the key interventions to improve food security include agricultural development, social protection, and nutrition interventions.

  6. What is the role of the government in ensuring food security?
    The government plays a key role in ensuring food security by providing a policy Environment that supports agricultural production, investing in social protection programs, and monitoring food security indicators.

  7. What is the role of the private sector in ensuring food security?
    The private sector plays a key role in ensuring food security by producing food, processing food, and distributing food.

  8. What is the role of civil Society in ensuring food security?
    Civil society plays a key role in ensuring food security by advocating for policies that support food security, providing food assistance to vulnerable populations, and monitoring food security indicators.

  9. What is the role of international organizations in ensuring food security?
    International organizations play a key role in ensuring food security by providing technical assistance to governments, funding food assistance programs, and monitoring food security indicators.

  10. What is the future of food security?
    The future of food security is uncertain. The challenges to food security are likely to become more severe, but there are also opportunities to improve food security.

  1. Which of the following is not a major crop grown in Chhattisgarh?
    (A) Rice
    (B) Wheat
    (C) Maize
    (D) Cotton

  2. The main source of irrigation in Chhattisgarh is:
    (A) Canals
    (B) Wells
    (C) Tanks
    (D) Tube wells

  3. The main Food Crops grown in Chhattisgarh are:
    (A) Rice, wheat, maize, and pulses
    (B) Rice, wheat, sugarcane, and oilseeds
    (C) Rice, wheat, cotton, and jute
    (D) Rice, wheat, Millets, and sorghum

  4. The main livestock reared in Chhattisgarh are:
    (A) Cattle, buffaloes, goats, and sheep
    (B) Cattle, buffaloes, pigs, and Poultry
    (C) Cattle, buffaloes, horses, and camels
    (D) Cattle, buffaloes, yaks, and reindeer

  5. The main forest products of Chhattisgarh are:
    (A) Timber, bamboo, and teak
    (B) Timber, bamboo, and sal
    (C) Timber, bamboo, and deodar
    (D) Timber, bamboo, and chir pine

  6. The main mineral resources of Chhattisgarh are:
    (A) Coal, iron ore, bauxite, and limestone
    (B) Coal, iron ore, copper, and zinc
    (C) Coal, iron ore, nickel, and lead
    (D) Coal, iron ore, gold, and silver

  7. The main industries of Chhattisgarh are:
    (A) Coal mining, iron and steel, cement, and power generation
    (B) Coal mining, iron and steel, aluminum, and fertilizer
    (C) Coal mining, iron and steel, copper, and zinc
    (D) Coal mining, iron and steel, gold, and silver

  8. The main exports of Chhattisgarh are:
    (A) Coal, iron ore, cement, and power
    (B) Coal, iron ore, aluminum, and fertilizer
    (C) Coal, iron ore, copper, and zinc
    (D) Coal, iron ore, gold, and silver

  9. The main imports of Chhattisgarh are:
    (A) Petroleum products, machinery, and chemicals
    (B) Petroleum products, machinery, and foodgrains
    (C) Petroleum products, machinery, and automobiles
    (D) Petroleum products, machinery, and electronics

  10. The main languages spoken in Chhattisgarh are:
    (A) Hindi, Chhattisgarhi, and Gondi
    (B) Hindi, Chhattisgarhi, and Sadri
    (C) Hindi, Chhattisgarhi, and Marwari
    (D) Hindi, Chhattisgarhi, and Bhojpuri

  11. The main religions practiced in Chhattisgarh are:
    (A) Hinduism-2/”>Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Jainism
    (B) Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, and Buddhism-2/”>Buddhism
    (C) Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism
    (D) Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, and Jainism

  12. The main festivals celebrated in Chhattisgarh are:
    (A) Holi, Diwali, Dussehra, and Makar Sankranti
    (B) Holi, Diwali, Eid, and Christmas
    (C) Holi, Diwali, Easter, and Thanksgiving
    (D) Holi, Diwali, Eid, and Guru Nanak Jayanti

  13. The main tourist attractions in Chhattisgarh are:
    (A) The Kanger Valley National Park, the Indravati National Park, and the Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary
    (B) The Kanha National Park, the Bandhavgarh National Park, and the Pench National Park
    (C) The Jim Corbett National Park, the Kaziranga National Park, and the Periyar National Park
    (D) The Sundarbans National Park, the Kaziranga National Park, and the Manas National Park

  14. The main rivers in Chhattisgarh are:
    (A) The Mahanadi, the Godavari, and the Narmada
    (B) The Ganga, the Yamuna, and the Brahmaputra
    (C) The Indus, the Jhelum, and the Chenab
    (D) The Sutlej, the Beas, and the Ravi

  15. The main cities in Chhattisgarh are:
    (A) Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, and Rajnandgaon
    (B) Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, and Jabalpur
    (C) Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, and Ajmer
    (D) Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, and Rajkot

  16. The capital of Chhattisgarh is:
    (A) Raipur
    (B) Bilaspur
    (C) Durg
    (D) Rajnandgaon

  17. The chief