Block-Wise Comparison of Daily Per Capita Food Consumption Pattern of Antyodaya Beneficiaries of Sirmour District in Himachal Pradesh

Author: Ritu Verma, Shanta Kumari and Virender Kumar

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Abstract

The present study is designed to understand the consumption pattern of Antyodaya beneficiaries of Public Distribution System (PDS) in Sirmour district. In the study, PDS system of the district has been evaluated based on the daily per capita food consumption. Out of six blocks of the district, four blocks viz., Rajgarh, Paonta Sahib, Pachhad & Nahan has been selected for the study. The multistage random sampling technique was used for selecting the sample of 100 rural beneficiaries those who belongs to the category of Antyodaya Anna Yojana. The finding of the study revealed that daily per capita food consumption of most of the food stuff like pulses, edible oil, vegetables, fruits and meat was less than the required daily recommended dietary allowances in all selected blocks. Whereas, daily per capita consumption of rice/wheat flour, sugar, salt & milk was more than the required amount in Rajgarh, Paonta Sahib and Pachhad blocks. While in Nahan block, milk consumption was less than the required amount. The major challenge of the study was to identify the needy people under the respective category of the PDS. The study also found that beneficiaries were not having the sufficient amount of food.Therefore, the study suggested that the government should increase the entitled quantity of the essential commodities and more employment opportunities should be generated for the particular category to improve the daily per capita food consumption, nutritional value, healthy life and standard of living of the beneficiaries.

Keywords

Public distribution system, beneficiaries, antyodaya, per capita food consumption

Conclusion

The daily per capita food consumption of most of the food stuff like pulses, edible oil, vegetables, fruits and meat were less than daily recommended dietary allowances required except rice/ wheat flour/ sugar, salt & milk of Rajgarh, Paonta Sahib and Pachhad blocks beneficiaries. Because rice/ wheat flour was the most necessary & demanded food items and share of its distribution was also more as compare to other food items through PDS. Whereas, in case of Nahan block milk consumption was also less than daily recommended dietary allowances required. Due to the low purchasing power & low income Rajgarh, Paonta Sahib, Pachhad and Nahan blocks beneficiaries were not consuming adequate quantity of food. Daily per capita calorie intake of beneficiaries of all the four blocks was less the than required calories. This indicates that economic status of all four blocks beneficiaries was very poor in the study area. To enhance daily per capita food consumption, nutritional value, healthy life, daily per capita consumption expenditure and standard of living of the beneficiaries government should provide more employment opportunities and the entitled PDS ration quantity for the inadequate food items should be increased.

References

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How to cite this article

Ritu Verma, Shanta Kumari and Virender Kumar (2023). Block-Wise Comparison of Daily per Capita Food Consumption Pattern of Antyodaya Beneficiaries of Sirmour District in Himachal Pradesh. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(4): 870-876.