Food grain Deficiency in India: Magnitude, Determinants and Policy Prescriptions

By : Paramita Bhattacharya, Siddhartha Mitra

Page No: 139-142

Abstract
Food security, which is one of the basic requirements of livelihood, is generally measured in terms of calorie intake. A major source of calories is carbohydrates, which is mainly obtained from food grains. This paper analyzes the level of food grain deficiency in India and across states. Through panel regression analysis, the study further analyzes the causal relationship between food grain deficiency and some of its determinants, viz., Public Distribution System (PDS), share of home-produced food grains in total consumption of food grains, food diversification and monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE). The entire analysis uses National Sample Survey’s unit-level data for two time periods: 1999–2000 and 2009–10.

Authors :
Paramita Bhattacharya : PhD Scholar, Department of Economics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India
Siddhartha Mitra : Professor, Department of Economics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India