HUNGER AND FOOD SECURITY IN INDIA:- A REALITY CHECK VISÀ-VIS SOME PRAGMATIC SOLUTIONS TOWARDS ACHIEVING THE UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS OF QUALITY EDUCATION AND RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

Abstract

It is undoubtedly a matter of great pride that India has made impressive economic growth over the past couple of decades and it has been very aptly predicted that the Indian economy will continue to grow at a fast pace in coming times. India is now firmly established as one of major economies in the world. Despite all its achievements, the Food and Agricultural Organization [FAO] in its report ‘The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, 2020, estimates that around 189.2 million people are undernourished in India. By these statistics about 14% of the population is India is undernourished. So also, 51.4% of women in reproductive age between 15 to 49 years are anemic. The report further exhibits that 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.