Nishulk Khadyan Vitaran

The Nishulk Khadyan Vitaran is Free Food Grains Distribution programme. It was launched by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. It was launched under the National Food Security Act. The scheme will provide free food to the underprivileged in the State of Uttar Pradesh from Diwali to Holi in 2022.

Significance

• The scheme ensures access to adequate quality and quantity of food for food and nutritional security.
• It will add to the better growth of the generation of the citizens whose resources can be used to serve the nation.
• Mortality Rate of children under the age of 5 is high. And one of the main reasons of this issue is unavailability of food. Thus, the scheme will help toe reduce the mortality rate of children.
• It will help in reducing poverty.

Food Security in Uttar Pradesh

• The per capital availability of cereals in the state is 36% higher as compared to the sufficient demand. Vegetables are 34% and fruits are 56% higher than the sufficient demand. The sufficient demand exceeds the ICMR dietary requirements.
• The per capita availability of milk and pulses do not meet the sufficient demand. The pulses are 32% less. And milk is 24% less.
• Out of the total area of food grain crops, which is 19.8 million hectares, only 6.6 million hectares is being used for farming.

For the above reasons, it is essential to develop food security strategies in the state.

What is Food Security?

According to the United Nations Committee on World Food Security, it means that all people have social, physical and economic access to safe and nutritious food. Food security means the food preference and dietary people for healthy life of all people in the country are met.

NFHS – 5 on Uttar Pradesh

• The National Family Health Survey – 5 that was released in November 2021, said that child malnutrition and anemia in the state is increasing.
• The percentage of Children under – 5 who are severely wasted increased from 6% in 2015-16 to 7.3% in 2020-21.
• The percentage of anemic children aged between 6 months and 59 months increased from 63% to 66%.