Context - 

• According to the 2023 annual report of the Global Hunger Index (GHI), India is ranked 111th among 125 countries.
• India has been described as a country with a serious situation of hunger with a GHI score of 28.7.

 ​Key points

• According to this index, the condition of India's neighboring countries is better than India.
• In the list of Hunger Index, Pakistan's ranking is 102, Bangladesh's 81, Nepal's 69 and Sri Lanka's 60.
• India's ranking has declined for the third consecutive year.
• The hunger situation in India has been described as serious with a score of 28.7 in the Global Hunger Index.
• Earlier in 2022, India was at number 107 in the list of 121 countries. Whereas in 2021, India got 101st rank.
• The 2023 report states that the child wasting rate in India is the highest in the world at 18.7 percent.
• This indicates extreme malnutrition. At the same time, the rate of undernutrition in India is 16.6 percent and the mortality rate of children under five years of age is 3.1 percent.
• This report also states that anemia among women aged 15 to 24 years is 58.1 percent.

 India's stand -

• The Government of India has called this report wrong and misleading.
• The Ministry of Women and Child Development said that the Global Hunger Index does not reflect the real situation of India.

 About Global Hunger Index -

• Global Hunger Index (GHI) tells what is the situation of hunger in any country.
• This list is prepared every year by Concern Worldwide and a European NGO called World Hunger Help (Welthungerhilfe in Germany).
• The index is prepared after assessing 4 parameters in different countries around the world.

 Calculation of GHI Score –

• The GHI score of each country is calculated on 4 scales of 3 dimensions.
• These three dimensions are – undernutrition, child mortality, child undernutrition.
• There are two categories in child undernutrition – child wasting and child stunting.
• 1. Undernutrition: Undernutrition means that a healthy person does not get the required calories for the whole day.
• 2. Child mortality: Infant mortality means the number of children who died within 5 years of birth for every one thousand births.
• 3.Child undernutrition: There are two categories in this-
• Child Wasting: Child wasting means a child being too thin or weak for his age.
• Child Stunting: Child stunting means children whose height is less than their age. That means the height of the child has not increased according to age.
• These three dimensions are given a standard score of 100 points.
• On the score scale, 0 is the best score and 100 is the worst score.

 Important Facts -

• Major initiatives of the government to tackle hunger
• Mission Indradhanush
• Food Fortification
• ‘Eat Right India Movement’
• Nutrition Campaign (POSHAN)
• Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana