Food Security in Kashmir: Food Production and the Universal Public Distribution System

Abstract

India has been witnessing political conflicts in many parts of the country which have had severe implications for people living in these areas. In the context of Kashmir, which has seen conflict for more than two decades, this article investigates trends in local food production and access to food grains under the public distribution system (PDS). It also explores whether a programme based on the principle of universality can make a difference to outcomes against a backdrop of conflict and strife. Relying on an analysis of a combination of macro data and primary research, the article finds that the food deficit increased in the state post 1990s, temporal with the onset of conflict, but concludes that with net grains imported through PDS, the state has been, in effect, a food surplus state, which ensures that almost every household is entitled and has access to a food ration at a constant price.