<p>India has been ranked 94th of 107 countries in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) this year. Its low ranking on the GHI yet again underscores its persistent failure in tackling its hunger problem. Last year, it figured on the 102nd rung among 117 countries. Some will argue that India performance with regard to tackling hunger has been improving. Last year, for instance it scored 30.3. This has fallen to 27.2 this year, a positive sign. Still, this is unsatisfactory as it means that the level of hunger in India remains classified as ‘serious’. At this sluggish rate of improvement, it will be many years before India’s hunger levels would even get to ‘moderate.’ With the exclusion of Afghanistan, South Asian countries have secured rankings that are better than India’s. While Bangladesh is in the 75th position, Myanmar and Pakistan are ranked 78 and 88, respectively. India’s claims of being the regional economic power ring hollow in the context of its low ranking on the GHI. It boasts of being the fifth largest economy in the world, with a GDP of $2.94 trillion in 2019, which is expected to fall by 10% this year. All these figures seem meaningless when the country is unable to feed its people. What makes the country’s persisting hunger problem all the more unconscionable is the fact that we don’t lack for food. India’s warehouses are overflowing with grains. It is even exporting food. Why then are people going hungry?</p>.<p>The GHI 2020 report provides insights into the meaning of the hunger problem. Some 14% of our population is undernourished. The stunting rate and wasting rate of children under the age of five is 37.4% and 17.3%, respectively. Problems like malnourishment, wasting and stunting not only undermine the chances of survival of our children but also their general well-being, capacity to learn and earn a living. India’s dreams of emerging a global economic powerhouse will remain unfulfilled so long as its people go hungry and are denied nourishing food.</p>.<p>India’s continuing failure to address its hunger problem underscores the abject failure of its public distribution system. Selling food grains and other necessities at subsidised rates is not enough. The poor are unable to purchase food at even these subsidised rates. Also, those eligible for subsidised food are just a fraction of those in need. Importantly, food meant for the poor continues to go waste or is siphoned off. There is an urgent need to reform the Public Distribution System. It has to be a system that is inclusive rather than one that is preoccupied with cutting costs for the government.</p>
<p>India has been ranked 94th of 107 countries in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) this year. Its low ranking on the GHI yet again underscores its persistent failure in tackling its hunger problem. Last year, it figured on the 102nd rung among 117 countries. Some will argue that India performance with regard to tackling hunger has been improving. Last year, for instance it scored 30.3. This has fallen to 27.2 this year, a positive sign. Still, this is unsatisfactory as it means that the level of hunger in India remains classified as ‘serious’. At this sluggish rate of improvement, it will be many years before India’s hunger levels would even get to ‘moderate.’ With the exclusion of Afghanistan, South Asian countries have secured rankings that are better than India’s. While Bangladesh is in the 75th position, Myanmar and Pakistan are ranked 78 and 88, respectively. India’s claims of being the regional economic power ring hollow in the context of its low ranking on the GHI. It boasts of being the fifth largest economy in the world, with a GDP of $2.94 trillion in 2019, which is expected to fall by 10% this year. All these figures seem meaningless when the country is unable to feed its people. What makes the country’s persisting hunger problem all the more unconscionable is the fact that we don’t lack for food. India’s warehouses are overflowing with grains. It is even exporting food. Why then are people going hungry?</p>.<p>The GHI 2020 report provides insights into the meaning of the hunger problem. Some 14% of our population is undernourished. The stunting rate and wasting rate of children under the age of five is 37.4% and 17.3%, respectively. Problems like malnourishment, wasting and stunting not only undermine the chances of survival of our children but also their general well-being, capacity to learn and earn a living. India’s dreams of emerging a global economic powerhouse will remain unfulfilled so long as its people go hungry and are denied nourishing food.</p>.<p>India’s continuing failure to address its hunger problem underscores the abject failure of its public distribution system. Selling food grains and other necessities at subsidised rates is not enough. The poor are unable to purchase food at even these subsidised rates. Also, those eligible for subsidised food are just a fraction of those in need. Importantly, food meant for the poor continues to go waste or is siphoned off. There is an urgent need to reform the Public Distribution System. It has to be a system that is inclusive rather than one that is preoccupied with cutting costs for the government.</p>
