New Delhi: India has slipped to the 107th position among the 121 countries ranked in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2022 released on Saturday, after being placed at the 101st spot last year.
The report, prepared jointly by Irish aid agency Concern Worldwide and German organisation Welt Hunger Hilfe, termed the level of hunger in India “serious” while the country was once again ranked below neighbouring nations such as Pakistan (99), Bangladesh (84), and Nepal (81).
Seventeen countries, including Belarus, Hungary, China, Turkey, and Kuwait, were featured at the top of the list, as per the ranking shared on the official website of the Global Hunger Index.
In 2021, India was ranked 101 out of 116 countries. With 121 countries on the list this year, the position has been further dropped to the 107th rank. India’s GHI score has also decelerated from 38.8 in 2000 to the range of 28.2 – 29.1 between 2014 and 2022.
As with last year, Afghanistan (109) is the only Asian country behind India on this list.
ALSO READ | Important To Break Shackles Of Colonialism For India’s Progress: PM Modi At Conference Of Law Ministers
Congress, CPI(M) Hit Out At Modi Government
Citing the report, Congress MP P Chidambaram hit out at the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a series of tweets.
“When will the Hon’ble PM address real issues like malnutrition, hunger, and stunting and wasting among children? 22.4 crore people in India are considered undernourished,” he wrote.
When will the Hon’ble PM address real issues like malnutrition, hunger, and stunting and wasting among children?
22.4 crore people in India are considered undernourished
India’s rank in the Global Hunger Index is near the bottom — 107 out of 121 countries
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) October 15, 2022
“Our score has worsened since 2014 in the 8 years of the Modi government. 16.3 per cent of all Indians are undernourished, meaning they do not get enough food. 19.3 per cent of children are wasted, 35.5 per cent of children are stunted. Hindutva, imposing Hindi and spreading Hate are not the antidote to Hunger,” he added in the following tweets.
19.3 per cent of children are wasted, 35.5 per cent of children are stunted
Hindutva, imposing HIndi and spreading Hate are not the antidote to Hunger
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) October 15, 2022
Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury also targeted the BJP government in a tweet as he wrote: “Dangerous, sharp slide of India on global hunger index since 2014. Modi govt is disastrous for India. Low food stocks barely over minimum buffer + 🔺prices. Govt must take responsibility for this era of darkness India has been brought to in 8.5 years. Enough of PR, spin & lies.”
“The economic decline and direct hit on lives and livelihoods is compounded by hate and divisions being sown by BJP leaders at all levels. They are a risk to the unity, fraternity and integrity of India,” he added.
The economic decline and direct hit on lives and livelihoods is compounded by hate and divisions being sown by BJP leaders at all levels. They are a risk to the unity, fraternity and integrity of India.
— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) October 15, 2022
Govt Dismissed Global Hunger Index 2021 Ranking As ‘Devoid Of Ground Reality And Facts’
Last year, the Indian government dismissed the Global Hunger Index ranking as the Ministry of Women and Child Development argued that The Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FOA) estimate “is found to be devoid of ground reality and facts”.
The FOA is a specialised agency of the United Nations. The ministry had contended that the estimate “suffers from serious methodological issues”.
“It is shocking to find that the Global Hunger Report 2021 has lowered the rank of India on the basis of FAO estimate on proportion of undernourished population, which is found to be devoid of ground reality and facts and suffers from serious methodological issues. The publishing agencies of the Global Hunger Report, Concern Worldwide and Welt Hunger Hilfe, have not done their due diligence before releasing the report,” the Ministry of Women and Child Development wrote in its response.
It further alleged that “the methodology used by FAO is unscientific. They have based their assessment on the results of a ‘four question’ opinion poll, which was conducted telephonically by Gallup. There is no scientific methodology to measure undernourishment like availability of food grains per capita during the period”.
“The scientific measurement of undernourishment would require measurement of weight and height, whereas the methodology involved here is based on Gallup poll based on pure telephonic estimate of the population,” the ministry wrote in its statement.
It further contended that the report completely disregards the Government’s “massive effort” to ensure the food security of the entire population during the COVID pandemic period.
The Indian government’s response to the new ranking is awaited.