Hunger situation in India

 

Hunger in India

• India, with a population of over 1.3 billion, has seen tremendous growth in the past two decades. 
• Gross Domestic Product has increased 4.5 times and per capita consumption has increased 3 times. 
• Similarly, food grain production has increased almost 2 times. However, despite phenomenal industrial and economic growth and while India produces sufficient food to feed its population, it is unable to provide access to food to a large number of people, especially women and children.

State of Hunger in India

• According to FAO estimates in ‘The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, 2020 report, 189.2 million people are undernourished in India. By this measure 14% of the population is undernourished in India.
•  Also, 51.4% of women in reproductive age between 15 to 49 years are anaemic. Further according to the report 34.7% of the children aged under five in India are stunted (too short for their age), while 20% suffer from wasting, meaning their weight is too low for their height. 
• Malnourished children have a higher risk of death from common childhood illnesses such as diarrhea, pneumonia, and malaria.
•  The Global Hunger Index 2019 ranks India at 102 out of 117 countries on the basis of three leading indicators -- prevalence of wasting and stunting in children under 5 years, under 5 child mortality rate, and the proportion of undernourished in the population.
• The GHI 2020 report has placed India 94th position

 

Key facts about hunger in India

India is home to the largest undernourished population in the world

189.2 million people i.e. 14% of our population is undernourished

20% of children under 5 are underweight

34.7% of children under 5 years of age are stunted

51.4% women in the reproductive age (15-49 years) are anaemic

 

Why India battling hunger? 

In Poverty and Famines, Amartya Sen introduced the idea of ‘exchange entitlement decline’ as a reason for starvation and famines. It is characterised by an adverse shift in the exchange value of endowments for food. It essentially means the occupation a section of people are engaged in is not remunerative enough to buy adequate food.

The key reasons

One, the agriculture output from small and marginal holdings are either stagnant or declining due to reasons such as reduced soil fertility, fragmented lands or fluctuating market price of farm produce. 

 

Second, relative income of one section of people has been on the decline. This has adverse effects on their capacity to buy adequate food, especially when food prices have been on the rise.

Third, the kind of work a section of people have been doing are less remunerative or there is less opportunity to get remunerative works.

 Fourth, the public distribution system (PDS) of the state is not functioning well or is not accessible to everyone.

 

India need  multi-pronged approach  to deal with the crisis.

First, more crops have to be grown, especially by small and marginal farmers with support from the Union government. A renewed focus on small and marginal holdings is imperative.

Second, the government may create provisions to supply cooked nutritious food to the vulnerable section of the society. A model of cheap canteen, which provides cooked food to vulnerable sections of the society for just Rs 15-20, is being successfully run by Left parties during the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in many parts of West Bengal.

Jadavpur Jyotidevi Shramajeevi Canteen, for example, has been running for more than 200 days. This model can be replicated by governments or other agencies. This has to be done in addition to the existing provisions of healthy diets from Anganwadi and schools through mid-day meals for children, mothers and students.

Third, rural employment schemes such as MGNREGA should be given a boost to increase employment and wages. Several organisations and individuals working under the scheme have suggested that the guaranteed work-days be increased to 200 and that commensurate wages be given in accordance with the minimum agricultural wages of the states.

Fourth, access to food grains under the PDS needs to be streamlined by simplifying technical processes and reducing Adhaar-related glitches. This is the right time to universalise PDS: COVID-19 has exposed the weaknesses of the targeted nature of the scheme.

A holistic approach to food security requires ensuring available, accessible and nutritious food to eradicate hunger and malnutrition in India.