In the Global Hunger Index 2023, India’s position slipped to 111 out of 125 countries, showcasing a severe level of hunger with a GHI score of 28.7. This comes after India ranked 107 in 2022. The GHI also highlighted that India has the highest child wasting rate globally at 18.7%, indicating acute undernutrition, and a child stunting rate of 35.5%.
The report sheds light on the complex interplay of factors contributing to hunger levels, including genetics, environment, sanitation, and food intake utilization, beyond mere hunger. Wasting, measured by children’s weight relative to their height, is a significant concern.
However, the Indian government vehemently criticized the GHI, citing “serious methodological issues” and calling it an “erroneous measure of hunger.” The Ministry of Women and Child Development criticized the reliance on a small sample size for critical indicators, terming the methodology flawed and lacking a representative sample of the entire population.
The ministry also pointed out that since April 2023, the measurement data of children under five years uploaded on the Poshan Tracker, an ICT application, consistently showed child wasting below 7.2%, significantly lower than the 18.7% reported in the GHI 2023.
In response to these challenges, the Indian government has been implementing initiatives like Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, aiming to combat malnutrition effectively. The ‘Poshan Tracker’ application, used to measure growth parameters, has integrated WHO’s expanded tables to dynamically determine stunting, wasting, underweight, and obesity status based on a child’s height, weight, gender, and age.
Furthermore, the government initiated the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) to support the economically vulnerable, distributing approximately 111.8 million tonnes of food grains in 28 months to nearly 800 million beneficiaries.
While the Global Hunger Index indicates significant challenges, India continues to prioritize and implement strategies to combat hunger and malnutrition, striving for a better and more nourished future for its citizens.