• Bikash Hazarika

Food is one of the most important basic necessities of human life. Hence, a healthy and well-nourished population is imperative for building a strong nation. Therefore, food security should ensure both adequate food availability and desired nutrition. In this study, an attempt has been made to examine the effectiveness of PDS in ensuring food security of the people of Lakhimpur district of Assam. For finding out the level of food security Per Capita per day Calorie Intake (PCCI) has been employed. Calculated calorie intake of sample households have been compared with 2730 and 2230 kilocalories, which is recommended by Indian Council of Medical Research for an adult man and woman doing moderate activity respectively (NIN, 2010). In the present study, it has been found that PDS has a positive impact on the level of household food security. Coverage of PDS across the area has been found as 69.47 percent of the total sample households. It is quite impressive; among total beneficiary households Priority Household covered 64.23 percent and Antyodaya Anna Yojana covered 35.77 percent. But targeting is found defective. It has found that currently PDS has been providing only two food item, i.e. rice and atta across the study area. Distribution of atta has been found irregular; out of the total requirements, only 23.59 percent of rice and 34.22 percent of atta is met by PDS. Regarding adequacy and quality of PDS items, majority of the beneficiaries has been found dissatisfied. Hence, it has been found that there is acute food insecurity in the study area both in terms of quantity as well as quality.

Food Security, PDS, Per Capita per day Calorie Intake, Lakhimpur.

"Public Policy and Food Security: A Case Study of Lakhimpur District of Assam, India", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 4, page no.291-300, April-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1904N45.pdf

"Public Policy and Food Security: A Case Study of Lakhimpur District of Assam, India", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 4, page no. pp291-300, April-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1904N45.pdf