Lok Sabha Question No. 348 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-19
Subject: Global Hunger Index 2019
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Uttam Kumar Nalamada Reddy, Amol Ramsing Kolhe, Supriya Sadanand Sule, Hibi Eden, Sunil Dattatray Tatkare, Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Malook Nagar, A.K.P. Chinraj

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER  AFFAIRS, FOOD &  pUBLtc  DTSTRIBUTTON

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED OUESTION NO. 348 TO BE ANSWERED  ON tgrh ilOVEMBER, 2O{9

## GLOBAL HUNGER !NDEX 2O19

## 348. SHRI UTTAM KUMAR REDDY NALAMADA:

DR. AMOL RAMS!ilG KOLHE:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

SHR! HIBI EDEN:

SHRI SUilIL DATTATRAY  TATKARE:

DR. SUBHASH  RAMRAO BHAMRE:

AHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA:

SHRI MALOOK NAGAR:

SHRI A.K.P. GHINRAJ:

Will the Minister of GONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLTG DISTRIBUTION  sqerl+ar rrrfr, srqT sk Trffiffi Ffd{ur d+ be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether as per the latest Globa! Hunger lndex 2O19, India ranks a lowly {O2 oul, ol  /,/,7  nations categorized as a nation with serious levels of hunger, if so, whether lndiats ranking has slipped dramatically since 2lJ'14 and if so, the reasons therefot
- (b)  whether a  substantial  proportion of the countryy's populatlon
- continue to suffer from lack of food according  to the said report, if so, the details thereof and the measures taken to look into all the aspects of the problem;
- (c)  the achievement  made by the Govemment after implementing the National  Food Security Act (NFSA) to end hunger in lndia;
- (d)  the challenges and difliculties  faced by the Government  while implementing  the NFSA; and
- (e)  the other steps taken by the Govemment  to end hunger in lndia to
- achieve United Nations Sustainable  Development Goal?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER  AFFAIRS,  FOOD &

PUBLIG DISTRIBUTION

(sHRt DANVE RAOSAHEB DADARAO)

(a): As per Global Hunger lndex Report 2O{9 brought out by the lnternational Food Policy Research lnstitute (IFPRI) released in October' 2O{9, lndia has been ranked as lO2 out of {{7 countries.

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(b) to (e): To provide for food and nutritional security in human tife cycle approach by ensuring access to adequate  quantaty  ol quality food on affordable prices, the National Food Security Act, 2Ot3 was enacted  which came into force with effect from 5.7.2013. The Act provides for coverage of uplo 75o/o of rural and 5O7o of the urban population for receiving subsidized foodgrains  under Targeted Public Dastribution  System (TPDS), thus covering about two-thirds  of the entire population  of the country. The Act also has a special focus on the nutritional support to women and children. Besides nutritious meal to pregnant women and lactatang mothers  during pregnancy and six months after the child birth, such women are also entitled to receive matemity benefit of not less than Rs. 6OOO. Ghildren upto {4 yearc of age are entitled to nutritious meals as per the prescribed nutritional standards.

tn order to further strengthen the Public Distribution System (PDS), Government in collaboration with States/UTs is implementing End-to-End Gomputerization  of PDS Operations' which comprises digitization of ration cards/beneficiaries  data, computerization  of supply chain management  of foodgrains, setting up of transparency portal and online grievance  redressal mechanisms in all States/UTs. Till date about 85.8olo of the total 23.45 Crote ration cards in the country have been seeded with Aadhar number. Govemment is also implementing anter-State portability of ration card holders through  'One  Nation One Ration Gard' plan which enables the migrant beneficiaries  to receive their entitled foodgrains form any Fair Price Shops (FPSS) using the same ration card issued to them in their home State. Presently,  this facllity is operational in 8 States in 4 clusters of two adioining  States  each.

To improve the health and nutrational status of vulnerable  population of the country, Govt. of lndia has taken various other measures  as well. Some of these are:-

- (i) Under Reproductive and Ghild Health (RCH) Programme  of National Health Missaon, various interventions  are implemented to improve the health of mother and chaldren which have implication on nutritional status of children.
- (ii) Nationat lodine Deficiency Disorders Control Programme (NIDDGP) for promotion of  adequately lodated salt (> 15 ppm lodine content) consumption  at household level.

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- (iii)  Department of  Food and Public Distribution has approved the 6Gentrally  Sponsored  Pilot Scheme on Fortification  of  Rice and its Distribution  through Public Distribution System. Financial  assistance  upto 9O% in case of l{orth-Eastern, Hilly and lsland States and upto 757o in case of rest of the States has been extended.
- (iv)  covernment of lndia has advised all States/UTs especially those States/UTs that are distributing wheat flour through Public Distribution System (PDS), to distribute fortified wheat flour through PDS.
- (v) Regulation for the fortification of edible vegetable oil, salt, milk, atta, maida and raw rice has been promulgated  by FSSAI.