ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author provides a broad outline of the political economy of health in India, followed by an explicit examination of food and nutrition security issues. She discusses the effect of governmental programs and policies on pregnant women's health and nutritional status that she observes. The author summarizes how the Public Distribution System (PDS) works. The PDS supplies wheat, rice, sugar, edible oils, and kerosene at subsidized rates to consumers via fair price shops. PDS continues to be the Government of India's primary means of providing food security. She describes how national health and nutrition policies and programs influence the health and nutritional status of pregnant women residing in Chanda Nagar. The author contends that a political economic perspective is necessary if readers are to comprehend the constraints individuals and their families face in obtaining adequate health care and nutritious foods. She examines the accessibility of health services, including public, private, and voluntary clinics.
