India faces a paradox of food surplus and nutritional deficit. Analyse the structural reasons behind this paradox and suggest reform strategies. (Answer in 250 words)

As FCI hoarding overflow with rotting stock, wheat about 10% of India's population remains unable to afford a nutritious diet.

Food supplies due to:

Nutritional Deficit Paradox - Over nutrition (HIDDEN HUNGER) and malawuishment lead to spectrum.

Structural reasons behind this paradox:

1. Focus on wheat-rice cultivation – no reduction in acreage since 1990s

2. Incentives for not growing other crops to: pulses, millets etc.

3. Nutritional basket skewed: eg: low focuson protein, fats, micronutrients

4. No diversity in mid-day meal – low nourish nutritional density (Fortified)

5. Barren caste and caloric sufficiency

6. Low fortification of food – only milk, rice and salt.

7. Lack of cold chain infrastructure – Fortification not part of diet.

8. Rising price of poultry, milk and fish/seaproducts (unaffordability)

9. Low focus/mission mode campaigns eg: Eat Gulfi campaign, fit India campaign

Thus efforts must operate at three levels:

[Diagram showing pyramid structure]

Micro level approach:

1. Individual awareness – via government campaigns, marathons, etc.

2. Behavioural change – via low sugar consumption (India is diabetic/apathic)

Meso level changes:

1. Increase procurement in FCI – of millets, pulses, oilseeds to incentivise

2. Devise curriculum in schools for healthy diet.

3. Mid-day meal revamped for nutrition based meals eg: (anemia based, for women-1800)

Macro level changes:

1. Diversify food basket – encourage agripreneurs.

2. Harked into (OMVs)

3. Re-look at MSP policy for millets etc.

4. Make milk, eggs, fruits etc more affordable – money inflationary pressures.

These holistic structural reforms can address nutritional deficiency.