DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2018.v06i04.015

Pages: 884-892

The present paper attempts to analyze the status of food security in West Bengal with special reference to the Jangalmahal region, the most backward region of the state, on the basis of the NSSO Unit Level Data for the years 2004-05 and 2011-12. The study estimates that 33.7 per cent people in this region was food insecure in 2004-05, while it reduced thereafter to 25 percent in 2011-12. Our subgroup analysis points out that across the social groups the vulnerabilities were relatively high for STs and SCs than the others. Along with the economic factors the social and demographic factors were also equally important for the food insecurity of the households. The incidence of food insecurity decreased with the increase of the years of schooling, age of the head, per capita cultivable land and access of PDS food grains of the household. The status of employment and the choice of consumption basket of the households have also played an important role for the food security.