HUNGER ISSUE STILL DOMINATES A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF INDIAN FAMILIES

The absence of food signifies the stage when a family starts living in absolute poverty. The consumption level comes down to extremes as affordability goes down. With the earnings going down, affordability also comes down to bottom level that leads to falling rate of consumption level which is the yardstick for
measuring poverty. As the entire household keeps slipping down, the most painful reality is unveiled. It is the dividing line between the poor and then those that are not poor.

The absolute poverty line identifies those living below the poverty line fixed simply arbitrarily. Absolute poverty lines considered by those living under the context of developing countries focus primarily on large sections of those who are engaged in survival battles. Generally developing countries are included in such categories, but then there are resourceful rich countries that are also added to it, since the eternal issue of unequal distribution also keeps staring at the victims.

One example is the results of various Hunger Surveys done, though they are not always global. Mostly they are done region-wise. In 2023, a survey of 135 countries was successfully accomplished. The survey gave India the rank of 111 out of 125 countries. This indicates a hunger severity level of very serious dimensions for the country. This also marks a fall from the previous year’s mark of 107, in 2022. India’s GHI (Global
Hunger Index) score is 28.7 on a hundred-point scale, where 0 is the best score meaning No Hunger. And Hundred is the worst.

Here it may be pointed out that there are several other factors that lead to survey the parts that negatively influence the hunger issue. The prime among them is unequal economic distribution. With growing unemployment, and unaccountable rise in prices, there is increasing risk of severe stunting in growth of the country. The process of determining price is no more dependent on the usual production and consumption
interplay. It is also true that despite the heavy yield in basic grains like wheat and rice, the faulty distribution system leaves the surplus foodstuff to rot to balance the prices, and to keep the dark shadows of famine alive.

Millions of tons of foodgrains are thrown in the sea to keep the prices undisturbed. The world has been witness to it whenever economic crisis has gripped the entire system. It is almost the same logic that keeps unemployment alive. Those unemployed simply play the role of labour bank, whom at any wage, and for as many hours, can be employed. The helplessness of unavailability of employment, kept alive to get labour at their own terms, creates a vicious circle of capitalism that moves on with almost the same rhythm as it
always had been. But it is not all. There are some additions too. As we move ahead.

Climate change is also impacting the production of crops, and thus the supply side of the trade. This has given food inflation almost a permanent character. The Reserve Bank of India’s Bulletin of August 2024 has pointed out how climate change is also to be blamed for causing the rise in the prices of essentials.
The verdict is concerning – erratic weather and extreme climatic event is worsening the food situation in the country. Clearly, the usual demand-supply matrix of determining price is no more due solely to the usual production and consumption demand interplay.

This is a new reality and can’t be managed only through all well established mechanisms that we deploy to control prices. Also, this is concerning as with climate change as the new disruptor in the demand-supply domain, we have two impacts: the producers (farmers, mostly small and marginalised and account for the
bulk of India’s poor population) are losing income due to crop losses; and high food price restricts good diet intake, eventually affecting overall nutrition levels.

What has worsened the situation is the widespread unemployment and underemployment in the country. India is one of the most populous nations and hence its needs are also varied, both in terms of size and nature. The human labour imperative for production and growth has to be supportive of employment
generation. But that is not happening because we are now living in an era of growth without jobs. That precisely means losing the way in a blind alley. There has been a massive increase in the proportion of casual and self employed workers, those employed within the unorganised, informal landscape. These aren’t
‘good’ secured jobs we are talking about, but rather a survival employment strategy that workers are taking since they are not finding enough opportunities in the secured, organised sector.

The Narendra Modi government has failed to develop any coherent policy on Manufacturing, agriculture and service sectors. The government expenditure on the development of manufacturing hubs with integrated infrastructure, utilities, and services is pathetic, while the small- and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises that are key to the employment generation are left to fend for themselves.

The investment in the health care and education has come down drastically, while the labour laws have been so changed that they provide no security to the workers. Instead of addressing the problems of livelihood, the Modi government seems busy in hiding the ground reality by fudging data and whipping up his divisive agenda. This does not augur well for the nation, neither in the short term nor in long term.