Outcomes of India's Food and Nutrition Security Reforms for Underprivileged Sections: A Study on Women and Children Health Status and Role of Women Empowerment in Gujarat

Abstract

India, with its vast population and diverse resources is long time seen as a poorly struggling country to achieve its capability in ensuring ideal food and nourishment security to its impoverished population. As a mission to improve socio-economic status of poor and marginalized section of our country, nourishment is a basic demand that should be made available in affordable price to these backward people. To optimize nationwide unevenly produced agricultural resources, enhance its income and implement a balanced and affordable food distribution system, making it available even for the poorest urban/rural groups of the country, a number of schemes were launched by Food Corporation of India (FCI). Some important initiatives are Procurement and Distribution System (PDS) in 1964, Targeted Procurement and Distribution System (TDPS) in 1997, National Food Security Act (NSFA) in 2013 and furthermore. In this study, we have observed the changes that took place with improvement in Health and Nourishment status amongst women and children as a result of these Food and Nourishment Reforms. Our Study Area includes backward urban/rural regions of Gujarat, a State that has exhibited betterment in many ways for the past few decades from its geographic, social and political deficits. In our analytical fact based study, we have observed the improvement areas as well as parts that need further attention so that women and children from marginalized sections of this region get equal/more provisions, support and security of health and nourishment as an assurance of their empowerment.