Role of State in Food and Nutrition security: A case of Telangana

The causes of food insecurity are poverty (transient or chronic) and unequal access to resources. After the failure of the ‘trickle down’ approach to ensure poverty reduction, direct approach with PDS, mid- day meal, ICDS, and Urban canteens were introduced as the main safety net programs to protect the poor from potential short-run, price-induced adverse food insecurity. The direct approach of reaching food to the unreached makes the scheme effective in achieving its objective. The Telangana State Government launched GHMC Annapurna Canteens for the urban poor in GHMC region to improve the food and nutritional security in Hyderabad with eight centers in the year 2014 and has expanded to 150 centers through Hare Krishna charitable Foundation and had also expanded its prospects via. Mobile Canteens in selected areas. This initiative is appreciated by a wide spectrum of urban poor ranging from homeless to migrant workers and food delivery workers. In the beginning, the introduction of these canteens was been doubted as be effective for mitigating food insecurity and accused of being "populist". But this idea of providing inexpensive food meals in urban areas promises food security and also keeps food prices in check. Our primary data revels that urban canteens played a very crucial role during the first phase of lock down in Hyderabad.