{"id":15196,"date":"2021-05-13T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-05-13T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/13-05-2021\/covid-19s-impact-on-urban-poor\/"},"modified":"2024-08-07T19:01:33","modified_gmt":"2024-08-07T13:31:33","slug":"covid-19s-impact-on-urban-poor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/13-05-2021\/covid-19s-impact-on-urban-poor","title":{"rendered":"Covid-19\u2019s Impact on Urban Poor"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">According to a recent report by <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Hunger Watch<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Covid-19 has impacted the urban poor<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in India more than the rural poor.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Hunger Watch is a loose <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>collection of social groups and movements<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, which came together for a periodic study of the actual status of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>hunger, food access and livelihood security<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> among <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>various disadvantaged populations <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">in the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>wake of the nation-wide lockdowns <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">starting from March 2020.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This is the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>first report<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> of the collective, based on interviews with 3,994 households across 11 states.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>data<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> was <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>collected in October 2020<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>compared with pre-lockdown levels<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Major Findings<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Differences in Urban-Rural Poor:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> The report showed that on average, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>urban respondents<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> reported a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>15 percentage point worse condition<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> than their <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>rural counterparts <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">across all important <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>parameters<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Incomes: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Reduced by half or a quarter for more than half the urban respondents while it was a little over one-third for rural respondents.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Consumption of Grains and Pulses:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> It was<\/span><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">at least 12 percentage points lower for urban respondents.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Decline in Nutritional Quality and Quantity:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Urban respondents saw more decline in nutritional quality and quantity as compared to the rural ones.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Borrowing Money for Food:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Around 54 per cent urban respondents had to borrow money which was 16 per cent lower for rural respondents.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Skipped Meals:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Around 45 per cent rural respondents had to skip a meal in October 2020 whereas nearly 66 per cent of the urban respondents had to do so in the same month.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Coverage of Social Security Schemes:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> It had a relatively better coverage among the rural poor.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: square;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Rural areas had better access to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Public Distribution System<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (PDS) rations.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: square;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A larger number of urban area households did not have access to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Ration Cards<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Hunger and Food Insecurity<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Overall, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>levels of hunger and food insecurity remained high<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, with <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>less hope of improvements<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> without specific measures for employment opportunities as well as food support.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">There is a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>10 percentage point increase<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in the number of people who had to skip some meal in the month <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>preceding the survey period<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: square;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This happened even when <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>India had a record food grain production<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> at 296.65 million tonnes in the 2019-20 crop year (July-June).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Socially Vulnerable Groups<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Things were <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>far worse for socially vulnerable groups<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> such as households headed by single women, households with people having disabilities, transgender people and old persons without caregivers.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>58 percent <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>older people without caregivers<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> had to go to sleep at night sometimes without a meal.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Similar things happened to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>56 per cent <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">of households <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>headed by single women <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>44 per cent <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">of households with <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>disabled<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> persons.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Early Ending of Government Schemes<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The additional support provided under the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><strong><u>Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (PMGKY) as well as the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">package, ended in October 2020, which led to worsening of the situation.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>In Conjunction with National Family Health Survey-5<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The figures are alarming as the NFHS data has shown either a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>worsening or stagnation in malnutrition <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">outcomes such as prevalence of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>stunting and wasting<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> among children and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>high levels of anaemia <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">among women and children.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Increasing Labour Force<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Food insecurity <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">has prompted more people to enter the labour force with a staggering <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>55 per cent increase<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in the respondents.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">There was also a<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> silent rise in child labour<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> as well.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Deeping Economic Crisis<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The report also pointed out that the economic crisis was deepening as people who<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> lost their jobs were yet to find replacements <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>little had been accomplished<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> after the lockdown for the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>revival of livelihoods<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in the informal sector.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Recommendations<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Special attention on social protection measures<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Schemes for provision of subsidised food<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Employment guarantee in urban areas.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Announcement of urban employment programme in budgets.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 1px;\">\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; width: 623px;\" cellspacing=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color: #fff2cc; vertical-align: top; width: 623px; border: 1px solid #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Public Distribution System<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is an <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Indian food security system<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> for management of food scarcity through distribution at affordable prices.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It was established under the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is operated under the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>joint responsibility <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Central <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">and the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>State <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Governments.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> Central Government<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, through <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Food Corporation of India<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (FCI), purchases, stores, transports and allocates food grains to States.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>States<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> identify eligible families, issue Ration Cards and supervise functioning of Fair Price Shops (FPSs) etc.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Currently, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>wheat, rice, sugar and kerosene<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> are allocated to the States\/UTs for distribution and a few of them <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>also distribute additional items<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> like pulses, edible oils, iodized salt, spices, etc.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Ration Card<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is a<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> document issued under an order or authority of the State Governments<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, as per the PDS, for the purchase of essential commodities from fair price shops.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It depends on the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> number of members in a family<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>financial status<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> of the applicant.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>National Family Health Survey<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>large-scale, multi-round survey<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> conducted in a representative sample of households throughout India under the aegis of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Ministry of Health and Family Welfare<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">NFHS-5 is the recent round of the survey to bring out<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> data on emerging health and family welfare issues<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Earlier NFHS rounds<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> were carried out in 1992-93 (NFHS-1), 1998-99 (NFHS-2), 2005-06 (NFHS-3) and in 2015-16 (NFHS-4).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Objectives:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) Mumbai<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> is the nodal agency for providing coordination and technical guidance for the survey.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It collaborates with a number of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Field Organizations <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(FO) for survey implementation.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Twin Objectives<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">To provide essential data on health and family welfare for policy and programme purposes.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">To provide information on important emerging health and family welfare issues.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>NFHS collects information of the following<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Fertility<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Maternal and Child Health<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Reproductive Health<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Nutrition<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Anaemia<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Infant and Child Mortality<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Family Planning<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Source: <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.downtoearth.org.in\/news\/health\/covid-19-has-hit-india-s-urban-poor-more-than-those-in-villages-report-76823\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><u>DTE<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In News According to a recent report by Hunger Watch, Covid-19 has impacted the urban poor in India more than the rural poor. Hunger Watch is a loose collection of social groups and movements, which came together for a periodic study of the actual status of hunger, food access and livelihood security among various disadvantaged [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15197,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[31,30,25,47,108,96,53],"class_list":["post-15196","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-affairs","tag-government-policies-interventions","tag-gs-2","tag-gs1","tag-health","tag-issues-relating-to-poverty-hunger","tag-population-associated-issues","tag-poverty-developmental-issues"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/07\/657112current-affairs.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15196","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15196"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15196\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27264,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15196\/revisions\/27264"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}