SWAMINATHAN;HARBINGER OF GREEN REVOLUTION
One UN report on food security in India has said that about 40% of the children below age of years are undernourished. This report has been prepared after a comprehensive survey by World food programme and
Swaminathan, a noted Agricultural scientist and harbinger of green revolution is considered as an authority in agriculture and food programme, therefore this report has been taken very seriously in all quarters including the government. This report further reveals that about one third of the entire population i.e. about 40 billion men and women suffer from energy deficiency due to mal or under nutrition. Presenting a state wise data, the report says that Jhakhand is the worst state and has lagged Orissa behind in this field. Previously Orissa was at the last position vis-a-vis food security. States like Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Tamil Nadu etc have performed well and improved the situation.
The report suggests certain measures like expansion of PDS system and recommends that in place of a Targeted PDS, it should be made universal PDS so that the vailablity of food to the rural areas is made universal and made much more convenient and institutionalised.
The report has praised the schemes like NREGS and other rural developmental wage oriented programmes and emphasised the need of their better and efficient implementation so that the fruits of these programmes are reached to the rural population which constitutes about 56-60% of the total population. The report further recommends to the governments that since the food production is expected to touch record 230 Million tons in this fiscal, it should be ensured that the public distribution system be made much more wide and universal. Malnutrition and undernourishment are the stigma on our society especially when we boasts of high growth rate and a robust economy. The report urges the government that the abhorrible malnutrition is erased from the society.
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