Right to Food, Food Security and Discrimination in the Indian Context

Abstract

The right to food is a much-debated issue throughout the world. This paper shows how India has accepted the concept of a right to food through its constitution, its legislation and court decisions that give the broadest legal meaning to this indispensable human right. At the practical level, India has achieved independence regarding its food supply and is even able to export excess food grain today. Debatable policies have led to the accumulation of food stock, while at the same time most of the undernourished in the world live in India. Another aspect aggravates the situation of the needy: discrimination against certain sections of society. Part of this paper is based on a survey conducted by the Indian Institute of Dalit Studies that highlights the specific discrimination Dalits have to face when trying to avail themselves of government schemes such as the “mid-day meal scheme” or the public distribution system. The discrimination of Dalits varies from region to region. In a nutshell, the paper suggests that even though the legal framework and the means of producing sufficient food may be available, this does not mean that food is actually secured for everyone. It requires the political and societal will of various stakeholders to overcome the discriminatory situation in order to give the right to food a real meaning. NGOs may play a vital role in this process to abolish “hunger amidst plenty".