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Food Security & Subsidies — UPSC CSE Questions with Explanations

Questions & explanations

1. Consider the following statements regarding problems of the PDS: 1. Procurement concentrated in wheat and rice distorts cropping patterns. 2. Targeting can cause both inclusion and exclusion errors. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Both statements are correct. Wheat-rice-centric procurement distorts cropping toward water-intensive cereals, and targeting produces both inclusion (non-poor included) and exclusion (poor left out) errors.

2. With reference to buffer stocks, consider the following: 1. Buffer stocking norms specify minimum wheat and rice to be held at the start of each quarter. 2. Grain can be released through the Open Market Sale Scheme to moderate prices. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Both are correct. Quarterly buffer-stocking norms prescribe minimum wheat/rice holdings, and surplus grain is released through the Open Market Sale Scheme to moderate prices.

3. In the PDS supply chain, ePoS devices at Fair Price Shops are used for:

(a) Weighing grain only
(b) Biometric authentication of beneficiaries at the time of distribution
(c) GPS tracking of trucks
(d) Setting minimum support price

Answer: (b) Biometric authentication of beneficiaries at the time of distribution

Electronic point-of-sale (ePoS) devices at Fair Price Shops biometrically authenticate beneficiaries during distribution to reduce diversion and bogus transactions.

4. Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) was launched primarily in response to:

(a) The 1991 economic crisis
(b) The COVID-19 pandemic
(c) The 1965 war
(d) The 2008 global financial crisis

Answer: (b) The COVID-19 pandemic

PMGKAY was launched in 2020 as an emergency food-security response to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing additional free foodgrains to about 80 crore beneficiaries.

5. Consider the following statements about the National Food Security Act, 2013: 1. It covers up to 75% of the rural and 50% of the urban population. 2. Priority Households are entitled to 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month. 3. Antyodaya Anna Yojana households get 35 kg per family per month. Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

All three are correct. NFSA covers 75% rural and 50% urban population; Priority Households get 5 kg/person/month and AAY households get 35 kg/family/month.

6. Fortification of rice under PDS primarily aims to address:

(a) Calorie deficiency
(b) Micronutrient deficiency (hidden hunger)
(c) Surplus grain disposal
(d) Storage shortage

Answer: (b) Micronutrient deficiency (hidden hunger)

Fortification adds micronutrients like iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 to staple rice to combat hidden hunger and anaemia, not merely calorie deficiency.

7. The Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) was introduced in which year?

(a) 1965
(b) 1992
(c) 1997
(d) 2013

TPDS was introduced in 1997, dividing households into Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Above Poverty Line (APL) categories with differential entitlements.

8. The Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) launched in 2000 targets:

(a) All Above Poverty Line families
(b) The poorest of the poor households
(c) Only urban households
(d) Only farmers

Answer: (b) The poorest of the poor households

AAY, launched in 2000, provides the most heavily subsidised foodgrains (35 kg per family per month) to the poorest of the poor among BPL households.

9. 'One Nation One Ration Card' (ONORC) primarily benefits which group?

(a) Large farmers
(b) Internal migrants
(c) Government employees
(d) Exporters

Answer: (b) Internal migrants

ONORC enables portability of food entitlements, allowing internal migrants to access their rations from any Fair Price Shop anywhere in the country.

10. Which committee reviewed FCI operations and recommended PDS/food-management reforms?

(a) Swaminathan Committee
(b) Shanta Kumar Committee
(c) Rangarajan Committee
(d) Kelkar Committee

Answer: (b) Shanta Kumar Committee

The Shanta Kumar Committee (2015) reviewed FCI and recommended reforms to reduce leakage, carrying costs and to restructure procurement and PDS.

11. ONORC is operationalised through which platform?

(a) PM-KISAN portal
(b) Integrated Management of PDS (IMPDS)
(c) e-NAM
(d) GeM

Answer: (b) Integrated Management of PDS (IMPDS)

ONORC portability runs on the Integrated Management of PDS (IMPDS) platform, with biometric/Aadhaar authentication at ePoS devices.

12. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) was established in which year?

(a) 1947
(b) 1955
(c) 1965
(d) 1991

The Food Corporation of India was established in 1965 to handle procurement, storage, movement and distribution of foodgrains.