Lok Sabha Question No. 2890 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: Food Security
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2890

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17TH DECEMBER, 2025

## FOOD SECURITY

## 2890. SHRI CHAMALA  KIRAN  KUMAR  REDDY:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION  be pleased to state:

- (a): whether the Government has been ensuring better food security since 1947 onwards to till date as per the demands of the  State of  Telangana and if  so, the details thereof including  the steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (b): whether sustainable food systems and boosting food and nutrition  security are another critical  pillar  of  focus for  encouraging sustainability  efforts and if  so, the details thereof including  the steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c): whether myriad  factors including  the impact of  extreme weather events have exacerbated the global food crisis and if  so, the details thereof including the corrective steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (d): whether  the  use  of  technology and  other  digital tools  in  promoting sustainable agricultural  practices, reducing waste and ensuring equitable access to nutritious  food for all  would  be imperative;  and
- (e): if  so, the details thereof  and the corrective  steps taken by  the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF STATE FOR MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI  BAMBHANIYA)

- (a) &  (b): The Central Government has progressively strengthened food security through increased foodgrain production, procurement and buffer  stocking. Though the food security at the household level was being addressed by the Government from long through the Public Distribution  System and the Targeted Public Distribution  System, the enactment of the National  Food  Security  Act,  (NFS A)  2013 on July  5, 2013 marks  a paradigm  shift  in the approach to  food  security  from  welfare  to  rights-based approach. The  Act  legally  entitles upto 75% of the rural population  and upto 50% of the urban population to receive free of cost foodgrains under Targeted Public Distribution  System.

The Act provides for food and nutritional  security in the human life  cycle approach, by ensuring access to an adequate quantity of quality  food at affordable prices to people to live  a  life  with  dignity, in  all  States/UTs including  Telangana.  Food  security,  through attainment of self-sufficiency  in food grains production in the country boost the agricultural sector thereby enhancing the economic growth and resultant reduction in poverty levels.

To improve  the level  of nutrition  among the targeted beneficiaries  covered under the NFSA, all  the States/UTs have been advised to  procure millets  and distribute to NFSA beneficiaries  as per  local  consumption preferences and as per  guidelines issued by  the Central Government from time to time.

(c): The Indian Council of Agricultural  Research (ICAR)  is implementing the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project to  assess  climate change impacts on agriculture and district-level risk  and vulnerability. Assessments have been completed for 651 agricultural districts as per Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) protocols, identifying 310 vulnerable districts, including 109 very highly and 201 highly  vulnerable. To  enhance farmers' resilience, climate-resilient technologies such as improved rice and wheat cultivation practices, stress-tolerant crop varieties and in-situ residue management are being demonstrated through Krishi  Vigyan Kendras in  151 districts covering 448 Climate Resilient Villages. Capacity building through village-level seed banks, community nurseries, crop  demonstrations  and training under the  Agricultural Technology Management Agency  is undertaken, along with  technical support to additional vulnerable districts. These interventions have improved farmer capacity, crop yields and socio-economic outcomes. Complementary schemes under  the  National  Mission  for Sustainable Agriculture, including Per Drop More Crop, Rainfed Area Development, Soil Health  and Fertility, horticulture,  agroforestry and bamboo missions, and crop  insurance schemes such as Pradhan Mantri  Fasal Bima Yojana and Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme further promote sustainable and climate-resilient  agriculture. ICAR  has also released 2,900 crop varieties during  2014-2024, of which  2,661 are tolerant to biotic and/or abiotic  stresses.

(d): The Government has developed several digital  platforms and mobile applications to strengthen dissemination of agricultural information, advisory services and scheme delivery. Key initiatives include the Unified Portal for Agricultural Statistics (UPAg) for near real-time crop  and market data; Krishi  Mapper for  geo-tagging farmlands and monitoring scheme implementation; Drought Portal for objective drought assessment; YESTECH for technology-based  yield  estimation; and WINDS  for hyper-local weather data to support advisories, insurance and disaster management. Platforms  such as e-NAM,  PMKIS AN  portal and app, AGMARKNET  and Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)  enable digital marketing, Direct Benefit Transfer and infrastructure financing. HORTNET under MIDH  and the Soil Health Card Portal ensure transparent assistance and soil  fertility management. Advisory  and insurance support is provided through Kisan Suvidha, National Crop Insurance Portal  and AIDE  app under PMFBY.  The Digital  Agriculture  Mission  aims to  build  Digital  Public Infrastructure through AgriStack  and related systems, while  AI- based tools such as Kisan  e-Mitra,  National  Pest Surveillance System and Krishi  Saathi enhance farmer-centric advisory and extension services.

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