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Friday, September 7, 2012

Global Hunger Index



The World Bank estimates that India is ranked 2nd in the world of the number of children suffering from malnutrition, after Bangladesh (in 1998), where 47% of the children exhibit a degree of malnutrition. The prevalence of underweight children in India is among the highest in the world, and is nearly double that of Sub-Sharan Africa with dire consequences for mobility, mortality, productivity and economic growth. The UN estimates that 2.1 million Indian children die before reaching the age of 5 every year – four every minute – mostly from preventable illnesses such as diarrhoea, typhoid, malaria, measles and pneumonia. Every day, 1,000 Indian children die because of diarrhoea alone. According to the 1991 census of India, it has around 150 million children, constituting 17.5% of India's population, who are below the age of 6 years.

The sensex-obsessed punters may not be aware of Global Hunger Index (GHI).  2011 GHI Report ranked India 15th, amongst leading countries with hunger situation. It also places India amongst the three countries where the GHI between 1996 and 2011 went up from 22.9 to 23.7, while 78 out of the 81 developing countries studied, including Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Kenya, Nigeria, Myanmar, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Malawi, succeeded in improving hunger condition.

After reading these data, gentlemen, you must ask the question why in our country Tatas and Birlas, Ambanis and Essars, Vedants and Malyas, Ketan Parikhs and Nira Radias, Ramkathas of Muraris and Annkut (food festivals) of  Shree Ravishakars are grabbing eyeballs? Every fifth child of Uttar Pradesh is suffering from mal-nutrition and number of such children is around 30 million. Congress of BJP, Mulayam or Mayavati – can anybody cry for these kids? What is the caste of these kids? What is the religion of these kids?

In canteen of parliament of a country, members of parliament are provided tea  in one rupee, soup in five rupee, dal in 1.50 rupee, dosa in four rupee, veg biriyani in eight rupee and fish in thirteen rupee,  anyone who blames Mps would be called terrorist! Shushma or Sonia. BJP or Congress. Who is not responsible for this situation?

40 percent of Gujarati children are suffering from mal-nutrition and Gujarat is producing on billion eggs annually and its chief minister is boasting of feeding Europe. Most of these children belong to marginalised sections of society. Most of the ministers of Modi cabinet are obese, overweight and plump and having more than 70 kg. Who will file RTI to know the quantity of food taken by these glutton ministers? 

- Raju Solanki

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