Paper: GS – I/II, Subject: Society and Social Justice, Topic: Poverty, Hunger & development issues, Issue: Ensuring Equitable Security.
Context:
National Sample Survey (NSS) 2024 enabled updated poverty estimation after a decade. World Bank 2025 report states that extreme poverty in India reduced from 16.2% (2011-12) to 2.3% (2022-23). However, food consumption inequality persists despite PDS expansion.
Key Highlights:
Poverty Measurement Approaches:
| Conventional Calorie-based Method | “Thali meal” approach: determines income required to purchase food with a specified calorific value. Pioneered by Government of India, it is widely used in South Asia. |
| Consumption-based Method | Goes beyond calories and considers nutrition, protein, vitamins, and satisfaction from food. It reflects holistic view of human needs. |
Key Findings on Food Consumption Inequality:
Food Deprivation Trends:
Public Distribution System (PDS) Role:
Pulses Consumption Gap:
- Pulses consumption is very low because of which essential protein needs are unmet.
Limitations of Current PDS:
- Cereal dominance: Over-reliance on cereals ignoring balanced nutrition.
- Logistics inefficiency: High cost of procurement, storage, and distribution.
- Distorted subsidies: Subsidies poorly targeted which benefits middle-income groups instead of the poorest.
- Nutritional imbalance: Pulses and protein-rich foods missing from the diet.
Proposed Reforms:
Conclusion:
A restructured PDS with nutritional diversity, progressive subsidy allocation, and efficient targeting can ensure equitable food security and help India meet its SDG commitments.
La Excellence IAS Academy, the best IAS coaching in Hyderabad, known for delivering quality content and conceptual clarity for UPSC 2025 preparation.
FOLLOW US ON:
◉ YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@CivilsPrepTeam
◉ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaExcellenceIAS
◉ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laexcellenceiasacademy/
GET IN TOUCH:
Contact us at info@laex.in, https://laex.in/contact-us/
or Call us @ +91 9052 29 2929, +91 9052 99 2929, +91 9154 24 2140
OUR BRANCHES:
Head Office: H No: 1-10-225A, Beside AEVA Fertility Center, Ashok Nagar Extension, VV Giri Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Hyderabad, 500020
Madhapur: Flat no: 301, survey no 58-60, Guttala begumpet Madhapur metro pillar: 1524, Rangareddy Hyderabad, Telangana 500081
Bangalore: Plot No: 99, 2nd floor, 80 Feet Road, Beside Poorvika Mobiles, Chandra Layout, Attiguppe, Near Vijaya Nagara, Bengaluru, 560040
