Events & Issues
New Delhi, 25 October 2017
Alarming Hunger Situation
GOVT UNCONCERNED ABOUT POOR
By Dhurjati Mukherjee
Eleven year old Santoshi died of starvation
because there was no foodgrain in her house for six weeks in a Jharkhand
village on 28 September. Predictably, all hell broke loose with the State
Government trying to hide behind lame excuses. Alas, to no avail as on its
heels came the Global Hunger Index wherein distressingly, India is ranked 100
among 119 countries over the last three years. Worse, it has fallen from 55
among 76 countries in 2015 and 97 among 118 countries last year.
Importantly, the International Food Policy
Research Institute (IFPRI) which prepared the Index underscored India’s hunger
label ‘serious’ which speaks very poorly about the country’s performance. More,
it rightly observed that economic growth does not automatically guarantee food
security.
Clearly, this report could not have come at a
more importunate time for the NDA Government
as its economic panel report had zeroed on ten areas to spur growth.
Whereby, boosting growth is the Modi Sarkar’s
prime concern and not eradication of poverty and hunger.
Undeniably, politicians and planners have little
idea about the ground reality of hapless millions who struggle for a bare
existence. Despite a so-called nation-wide nutrition focused programme drought and structural deficiencies
have left large numbers of poor at risk of malnourishment. Add to this is the
lack of neglect of rural areas and very poor governance in execution of
schemes.
The IFPRI pointed out that just 9.6 per cent
of children between six and 23 months had adequate diet which should put the
country to shame. Concluding that India’s score is at the “high end of the
serious category”, pushing South Asia into the worst performing regions category
on the Index.
Indeed, it is difficult to stomach that India
has Asia’s third worst hunger score with only Afghanistan and Pakistan ranked
worse. China which is way ahead in all spheres is ranked at 20 and even small
neighbours Nepal and Bangladesh slotted at 72 and 88 respectively have
demonstrated that their governance and concern for the rural populace are much
better.
Notably, the report puts our politicians tall
talks to shame. Sadly, all big plans and programmes launched by successive Governments
have been totally unsuccessful if the Index is analyzed in the context of the
existing situation prevailing in the rural areas. Be it under-nourishment,
child mortality, child wasting and child stunting.
Certainly, the over emphasis on growth makes
no sense as it has virtually no bearing on the lives of the poor and the
impoverished sections of society. A harsh fact reiterated over the years by
left wing economists. Recently, a German humanitarian agency Welte-hungerhilfe stated: It is obvious that a high GDP growth
rate alone is no guarantee of food and nutrition security for India’s vast
majority”.
If this is accepted, the whole policy focus
has to change. However, urban economists and planners on the Government’s advisory
bodies are unwilling to agree to a change of policy orientation which would
concentrate on masses living in poverty and squalor, primarily in the rural
areas.
Questionably, how many backward districts in
the country have changed in the last 3 to 5 years? Shockingly, there has been scattered focus on
rural areas and implementation of schemes has been poor due to lack of
monitoring and rampant corruption. Also, officials posted in these areas have
no concern for the poor who reside there. Unless there is attitudinal change of
real concern for the people lack of interest in welfare schemes will continue.
Besides, all talk of sustainable development
remain on paper and subjects of discussion and debate at seminars and
conferences. Even as senior officials from all walks of life, including Government
and private sector, urge the need for a strategy for development. Are all these
just a farce and a show of development?
Notably, it is time that the Government is
serious about the issue of hunger and takes steps to prepare an action plan of yearly
target for all States. While more resources need to be allocated these have to be strictly monitored by Central
and State authorities.
Pertinently, even as the Government has made
‘Social Audit’ mandatory for organizations which have a public interface, they
need to evaluate performance and find whether stakeholders are getting benefits
of various welfare schemes. This is not being adhered to by most organizations.
Is it because corruption and misgovernance
would be revealed? Why don’t Panchayats make such audit mandatory with
immediate effect to ensure that welfare reaches the beneficiaries at all
levels?
Think. While schemes are galore and the
performance is reflected in the Index, the Government has drafted an ambitious
Rs 1.2 lakh crores plan to provide universal social security coverage for the
poorest fifth of the country, as part of a broader programme which envisages three
categories ---- poorest 20 per cent who will get a Government payout, those who
subscribe on their own and formal sector workers who need to set aside a fixed
proportion of income towards this scheme.
No doubt this huge amount will be a challenge
for the Government as it goes about correctly identifying the beneficiaries who
get their due. In spite of efforts by successive Governments, corruption seeps
in. Will the Government be able to resist this?
Bluntly, the way democracy is practiced, the country
has not adhered on the sustainable development path. Nor have we developed a
theory of democracy for a multi-cultural society riddled with the problems of
multiple polarizations. The need for authoritarian system of administration
results in “a veiled dictatorial form of Government --- a syndicated form of
pseudo-democratic governance” that has little concern for the masses.
In sum, if true development had taken place
with sincerity and dedication of Government officials and politicians, the
conditions of our poor sections would not have been so alarming. Thus, it is
time that big plans and promises should be supported by effective action at the
grass-root levels so that the suffering millions are assured of the basic
necessities of life.
Our high profile economists and planners, who
are nothing but snobbish intellectuals, should be held responsible when they
speak against the Government’s welfare initiatives. The Government should not
take this as ‘pessimism’ but a reality. ---- INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
|