Govt at fault for not providing data to NGOs: Pai on hunger index ranking

Ahna Prakash | NT

Bengaluru: India ranked 107 out of 121 countries on the Global Hunger Index 2022, which is published by European NGOs Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, released on October 15. The level of hunger in the country has been labelled as ‘serious’ by the latest hunger index report.

However, the Ministry of Women and Child Development, has denied the ranking by issuing a statement claiming that the index has ‘methodological issues.’

The data used in the Global Hunger Index has been collected through opinion polls, the government has claimed, further stating that three of the four indicators used by the hunger index are related to child health and hence cannot be used for the entire population.

However, experts say that there is also a problem with the way the data is collected. IT industry veteran Mohandas Pai says, “The government must give the correct data, but most of their data is not updated. The government officials have been lethargic.

For example, our Consumer Price Index data is based on 2011 data. There is no country in the world that takes 2011 data to examine the current inflammation rate. India is the only country that does that. If the government does not believe in the ranking, it should make sure that the correct data is provided to these NGOs, and the central government is at fault.” Others say that the number is higher than what the data shows.

Nagasimha Rao, the founder of the Child’s Rights Trust, says, “Post pandemic, the condition of people has become worse. There are children who are suffering and unable to get proper food and healthcare. It can be said that the number is much higher than the data we have been presented with.

The reality on the ground is always far scarier.” Maytri Krishnan, an advocate and activist, says that the problem arises because of bad government policies. “There are schemes that are launched for poor people and malnourished children, but due to a lack of proper implementation, they never reach the people in need.

The government is not even inclined towards making policies that are pro-poor,” she said.