Lok Sabha Question No. 3119 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-11
Subject: Global Hunger Index 2025
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Dr. Prabha Mallikarjun

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 31 19

TO BE ANSWERED ON 1 1'rH MARCH, 2026

## GLOBAL HUNGER INDEX 2025

## 3119. DR. PRABHA MALLIKARJUN:

Will  the Minister of  CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

- (a): whether the Government has examined the findings of the Global Hunger Index 2025, which places India at  102 out  of  123 countries and if  so, the implications  thereof for national food and nutritional security;
- (b): whether rising  food prices and limitdtions  in  existing price stabilisation mechanisms are adversely  impacting access to  adequate  and  nutritious food particularly for poor  households, women and children;
- (c): if  so, the details thereof; and
- (d): the details of  the concrete policy  measures being taken by the Government to  strengthen food security, price stability and nutritional outcomes, in line with constitutional obligations and welfare commitments?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

- (a): As informed by the Ministry of  Women &  Child Development, an index claimed to be Global Hunger Index (GHI) is published by 3 Non-Government Organizations (viz., Web Hunger Hilfe  of  Germany; Concern Worldwide  of  Ireland; and Institute for International Law  of Peace and Armed  Conflict  of  Germany). It  is a flawed  measure  of  'Hunger' and does not reflect  India's true position. Three out  of  four  of  its  constituent indicators are actually related to  health  and nourishment levels of  children. They cannot be projected to reflect prevalence of  hunger in  the overall population. Only one indicator, prevalence of undernourishment  (PoU), is directly  related to hunger, and even this  indicator suffers from  significant  methodological and data limitations.  Owing to the probabilistic  nature of  its estimation and uncertainties in underlying parameters, the precision of PoU estimates is generally low. Two indicators (viz., stunting and wasting) are not measures of hunger, but  outcomes of  multiple  complex  factors including  sanitation, environmental  conditions, disease burden, maternal health, genetics, and food utilisation. Similarly, the indicator Under Five Mortality Rate, is influenced by a  wide set of determinants such as access  to healthcare' immunisation coverage, sanitation and hygiene, safc drinking water, and overall socio-economic conditions. In view  of these shortcomings, the methodology  adopted  by GHI is flawed and, the so-' called rankings cannot be taken to reflect hunger level in the overall population.

(b)  to  (d): The  Government keeps  a  close  watch on  the  production and  availability of  essential commodities through regular reviews by the Inter-Ministerial  Committee (IMC).  The Committee reviews, on regular basis, the scenario and the  indicative trends in  prices of  essential agrihorticultural commodities and suggests measures to enhance availability through increased domestic production and  rationalisation in  export-import policies.  Further, Department of Consumer Affairs  monitors the daily prices of 40 essential food commodities submitted by the 578 price monitoring centres across the country. As per the data, prices of food commodities  are stable and under control.

The Government has also implemented the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)  in all  the States/UTs, which  aims to supplement  the food requirements of upto 7S::/, of the rural and upto 50c% of the urban population. Coverage  under the PMGKAY  is substantially high to ensure that all the vulnerable and needy sections of the society get its benefit. While Antyod.aya Anna Yojana (AAY)  households, which constitute poorest of the poor are entitled to 35 kg of foodgrains, per household per month, Priority  Households (PHH)  are entitled to 5 kg of  foodgrains per person per month free of  cost foodgrains. At  present, 80.56 crore beneficiaries are covered for getting free-of-cost foodgrains under PMGKAY against the intended coverage of  81.35 crore persons (as per the Census 2011).