Global Hunger Index 2023 has claimed that India’s situation has worsened. India has been placed at 111th place in the Global Hunger Index of 125 countries globally. Moreover, the highest child wasting rate or child malnutrition has also seen in India, which is 18.7 per cent. India’s situation has worsened as compared to last year, when India was ranked 107 in the index.
In the Global Hunger Index released today, India’s score is 28.7 percent, which puts it in a category where the situation of hunger and starvation is “very serious”. The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is a tool to comprehensively measure and track hunger at the global, regional and national levels.
Neighbouring countries are ahead of India
According to the Global Hunger Index, if we look at other neighbouring countries of India, i.e., Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal are in a better situation than India. In the index, Pakistan has been ranked 102nd, Bangladesh 81st, Nepal 69th and Sri Lanka 60th.
Indian govt rejects Global Hunger Index 2023
At the same time, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has rejected this index. The government has called it an inaccurate measure of starvation.
The ministry has also said that it does not reflect the actual situation in India. There are many flaws in it. Three of the four indicators used to calculate this index relate to the health of children, so they cannot definitively reflect the health of the entire population.
“The Central Government launched Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) with the specific purpose of ameliorating the hardships faced by the poor and needy due to economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 outbreak in the country,” said the ministry in a press release.
