Table of Contents
THE CONTEXT: The recent Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2022-23 by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) reveals significant nutritional deficiencies among India’s poorest, highlighting the urgent need for targeted interventions.
THE METHODOLOGY AND KEY FINDINGS:
- Defining Poverty Line: The Lakdawala Committee anchored the poverty line (PL) to calorie norms of 2,400 kcal per capita per day for rural areas and 2,100 kcal per capita per day for urban areas. The Tendulkar Committee did not use a calorie norm to define the PL. The Rangarajan Committee based the PL on normative levels of adequate nourishment, clothing, house rent, conveyance, education, and other non-food expenses.
- Calorie Requirements: The average daily per capita calorie requirement (PCCR) for a healthy life was derived using the recommended energy requirements for different age-sex-activity categories per the 2020 report of ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. The PCCR was estimated to be 2,172 kcal for rural India and 2,135 kcal for urban India.
- Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE): The survey arranged estimated persons into 20 fractile classes of MPCE, each comprising five percent of the population. The average MPCE on food and non-food items was derived for each class.
- Threshold MPCE: At 2022-23 prices, the all-India threshold total MPCE was ₹2,197 (food: ₹1,569 and non-food: ₹628) for rural India and ₹3,077 (food: ₹2,098 and non-food: ₹979) for urban India. Considering the poorest 10% non-food expenditure instead of the poorest 5%, the threshold total MPCE increases to ₹2,395 for rural areas and ₹3,416 for urban areas.
- The proportion of ‘Poor’: The proportion of deprived individuals was estimated at 17.1% for rural areas and 14% for urban areas. With the adjusted threshold for the poorest 10%, the proportion of the deprived increased to 23.2% in rural India and 19.4% in urban India.
- Calorie Intake: The average per capita calorie intake (PCCI) of the poorest five percent in rural India was 1,564 kcal, and for the immediately above five percent, it was 1,764 kcal. In urban India, the PCCI for the poorest five percent was 1,607 kcal, and for the immediately above five percent, it was 1,773 kcal. These figures fall significantly short of the PCCR, indicating a nutritional deficiency among the lower expenditure classes.
THE WAY FORWARD:
- Enhance Nutritional Schemes Targeting the Poorest: Implement targeted nutritional schemes such as fortified food distribution and midday meal programs for the poorest 10% of the population. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), 35.5% of children under five years old are stunted, 19.3% are wasted, and 32.1% are underweight. The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) provided free food grains during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping alleviate hunger among the poorest.
- Revise Poverty Line Estimation Methods: The revised MPCE thresholds use normative and behavioral approaches to define poverty lines, incorporating health, education, and non-food expenses. They indicate a higher proportion of deprived individuals when considering the poorest 10% instead of the poorest 5%. The Rangarajan Committee’s methodology estimated higher poverty rates than the Tendulkar Committee, highlighting the need for updated poverty lines that reflect current consumption patterns.
- Improve Accessibility and Affordability of Nutritious Foods: Provide subsidies for essential nutritious foods such as fruits, vegetables, and protein-rich items to make them more affordable for low-income households. The India Nutrition Index 2023 highlights the importance of accessibility and affordability of nutritious foods to improve dietary intake. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the United States helps low-income households purchase healthy foods.
- Implement Comprehensive Health and Nutrition Education Programs: Launch nationwide health and nutrition education campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of balanced diets and proper nutrition. A systematic review found high prevalence rates of deficiencies in vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, iodine, and folic acid, highlighting the need for comprehensive nutritional education programs. The Poshan Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission) aims to improve nutritional outcomes through education and awareness campaigns.
- Strengthen Social Safety Nets and Welfare Programs: Strengthen and expand existing social safety nets such as direct cash transfers, health insurance schemes, and free education programs to provide comprehensive support to low-income families. The Bolsa Família program in Brazil provides financial aid to low-income families, conditional on school attendance and health check-ups, improving overall well-being.
THE CONCLUSION:
Addressing nutritional deficiencies and poverty in India requires a multifaceted approach, combining employment opportunities, enhanced public health programs, social safety nets, inclusive education, and comprehensive poverty alleviation initiatives. These solutions can significantly improve the living standards and health of the most vulnerable populations.
UPSC PAST YEAR QUESTIONS:
Q.1 How far do you agree with the view that the focus on lack or availability of food as the main cause of hunger takes the attention away from ineffective human development policies in India? 2018
Q.2 Hunger and Poverty are India’s biggest challenges to good governance today. Evaluate how far successive governments have progressed in dealing with these humongous problems. Suggest measures for improvement. 2017
Q.3 ‘Poverty Alleviation Programmes in India remain mere showpieces until and unless they are backed by political will’. Discuss the performance of the major poverty alleviation programs in India. 2017
Q.4 Though there have been several different estimates of poverty in India, all indicate a reduction in poverty levels over time. Do you agree? Critically examine urban and rural poverty indicators. 2015
MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q.1 Discuss the various methodologies used to define the poverty line in India. Critically analyze the implications of these methodologies for measuring poverty and formulating policy.
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