Present status of nutritional poverty in India

Source: This post “Present status of nutritional poverty in India”, is created based on the article Counting the ‘poor’ having nutritional deficiency, published in The Hindu on 7^th August 2024.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2- Social Issues, Issues related to hunger and poverty

Context: The article assesses nutritional poverty in India based on the National Sample Survey Office’s Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) for 2022-23.

HCES 2022-23 report provides detailed data on the consumption of various food and non-food items by households and calculates the per capita daily calorie intake.

It compares the estimated calorie intake of households in lower expenditure classes with the average per capita daily calorie requirement for a healthy life.

To calculate the monthly per capita consumer expenditure (MPCE) threshold, the food expenditure is combined with the average non-food expenditure for the poorest 5%.

What are the key Findings of the report?

Rural and Urban expenditure thresholds: For rural India, the all-India threshold total MPCE is ₹2,197 (₹1,569 for food and ₹628 for non-food). For urban India, it is ₹3,077 (₹2,098 for food and ₹979 for non-food). These thresholds indicate the minimum expenditure needed for adequate nourishment and essential non-food items.

Proportion of Poor/Deprived: The proportion of poor is estimated at 17.1% for rural areas and 14% for urban areas based on these thresholds.

Threshold based on poorest 10% Population: If the non-food expenditure of the poorest 10% is considered, the thresholds increase to ₹2,395 for rural and ₹3,416 for urban areas. Increases the proportion of deprived to 23.2% for rural and 19.4% for urban areas.

Calorie Intake of the Poorest: The average PCCI for the poorest 5% in rural areas is 1,564 kcal, and for the next poorest 5%, it is 1,764 kcal. In urban areas, the figures are 1,607 kcal and 1,773 kcal, respectively. These figures are significantly lower than the PCCR of 2,172 kcal for rural and 2,135 kcal for urban areas.

What are the Recommendations for tackling nutrition deficiency?

The government has several welfare programs aimed at improving the conditions of the poor. However, there is a need for specific nutritional schemes targeted at the poorest sections to raise their level of nourishment and ensure a healthy life.

These schemes should focus on providing adequate calories and essential nutrients to address the significant nutritional deficiencies identified in the survey.