Topic: Issues relating to poverty and hunger.
3. What is food poverty? Critically examine the measures taken by the government to address food poverty in India. (250 words)
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Down to Earth
Why the question:
Nearly 6% of individuals in India aged 45 and above studied consumed smaller portions or skipped meals; 5.3% did not eat even when they were hungry.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about food poverty and examine the measures taken to address it.
Directive word:
Critically examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we have to look into the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a fair judgment.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Define food poverty.
Body:
First discuss on the situation of food poverty in India and then move on to elaborate on the various schemes and initiatives brought in by the government to address this issue such as Mid-day Meal Programme, ICDS, Kishori Shakti Yojana, Nutrition programme for Adolescent Girls and Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana, National food security Act etc.
Analyse these initiatives against the current rates of Hunger, nutrition-linked poverty in India. Cite data from NFHS-5 to substantiate your points.
Conclusion:
Conclude by mentioning a way forward on the approach to address the issue and its implication of achieving SDG-2.
