Digital Desk: India’s standing in the Global Hunger Index-2023 has drawn significant concern, as the country was ranked 111th out of 125 nations.
This index, which assesses global hunger levels comprehensively, was unveiled on Thursday, revealing a worrisome trend for India. This marks a decline from its 2022 ranking of 107th out of 121 countries.
The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is a crucial metric used to gauge and monitor hunger at global, regional, and national scales.
Of particular concern is the child wasting rate in India, which stands at a troubling 18.7 percent, the highest among all countries included in the index.
Meanwhile, the state of Assam, situated in the Northeastern region of India, grapples with a considerable portion of its population living below the poverty line.
A significant segment of its marginalized population relies heavily on food entitlements mandated by The National Food Security Act (NFSA) of 2013. Despite having several attributes that could propel it towards developmental progress, Assam’s health and nutrition indicators have shown limited improvement.
Statistics reveal that 35.3 percent of children under the age of 5 in Assam suffer from stunted growth, and the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) remains alarmingly high at 31.9 percent, according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data.
This places Assam among the bottom five states in the country in these vital indicators. It is worth noting that various studies indicate that a 1 percent reduction in adult height due to stunting can lead to a 1.4 percent loss in productivity, and stunting may also result in a decrease of 5-11 IQ points.
These concerning trends emphasize the urgent need for measures to address hunger, especially among vulnerable populations, and to enhance the overall well-being and development of India’s regions, such as Assam.