Issues Relating to Poverty And Hunger & Government Initiatives

In India, issues relating to poverty and hunger are widespread. One of the economies with the quickest growth is India. Despite this, India has a very high level of poverty and hunger. In most Indian states, 20% and 35% of children are severely malnourished. India is ranked 101st out of 116 nations in the 2021 Global Hunger Index rankings. India has a serious level of hunger, with a score of 27.5.

In this article, we shall discuss the issues relating to poverty and hunger. It will also include the causes and effects of poverty on hunger and its relevance for UPSC. This is one of the important topics of the UPSC IAS exam, and it covers a significant part of the General Studies Paper-2 Syllabus.

Recent Update

• Recently, the Global Hunger Report 2022 was published by Concern Worldwide and Welt Hunger Hilfe, non-governmental organizations from Ireland and Germany, respectively.
• In the Global Hunger Index 2022, India came in at number 107 out of 121, well behind its South Asian neighbors and with the highest child mortality rate in the world at 19.3%.
• In an effort to malign India, which the government opposes, the German non-governmental group Welt Hunger Hilfe has once again published a ranking of 121 countries based on the World Hunger Index.
• India’s neighbours did better in GHI 2022, with Nepal coming in at number one, Sri Lanka at number two, Bangladesh at number four, and Pakistan at number ninety-nine. India earned 101st place out of 116 examined nations in 2021.

Latest Report

UN Report: Global hunger numbers rose to 828 million in 2021. The 2022 SOFI report provides updates on the food security and nutrition situation around the world.

To study the report in detail, check out the article SOFI Report 2022!

Poverty and Hunger Issues

Issues Relating to Poverty and Hunger are very prominent in today’s world. According to data from the Asian Development Bank, in 2011, 21.9% of Indians lived in poverty. In India, 21.2% of employed people lived on less than $1.90 PPP per day in 2011. In India, in 2017, 39 children died before their fifth birthday for every 1,000 births.

Study in detail Global Hunger Index 2021 here!

What is Poverty?

Poverty is a lack of resources for necessities like food, clothing, and shelter. But poverty goes far beyond simply not having enough money. Therefore Issues Relating to Poverty and Hunger should be addressed. The cost of living for necessities like food, clothing, and shelter varies worldwide. Thus the World Bank periodically updates the international poverty line. The poverty line was established at $1.25 per day in the 2008 update. As of 2022, the new threshold is $1.90 per pay. It was established in 2015. The traits of poverty and hunger issues are:

• The majority of poor people in India live in rural areas.
• The size of the family is significantly bigger.
• The primary industry is agriculture.
• They lack the means to develop.
• Group with low income.

Study in detail about Malnutrition in India here!

What is Global Poverty?

Global poverty is defined as people living in poverty who earn less than $1.90 per day globally. According to the World Bank, an individual is considered to be in extreme poverty if their daily income is less than $1.90. One in ten people on Earth, or more than 736 million people, live below this poverty line, and children, a particularly vulnerable group in society, make up more than half of the world’s poorest individuals.

• Global poverty refers to the widespread deprivation and lack of material resources experienced by a significant portion of the world's population. 
• It is a state of extreme economic and social disadvantage in which individuals or communities struggle to meet their basic human needs, including food, clean water, shelter, education, healthcare, and access to essential services. 
• Global poverty is typically measured by the number and percentage of people living below the poverty line, often based on a specific income threshold or standard of living.

Causes Of Poverty

The causes of poverty can be attributed to four factors: Geographical, Economic, Social and Environmental. These are listed in the table below:

Also, Read the World Bank Report: Extreme Poverty in India here!

How is Poverty measured?

If a household’s income or consumption is below a certain minimal level, it is considered to be below the poverty line. This is a typical method to measure poverty in India (BPL).

• Calculating the Poverty Line:
  • The task force of NITI Aayog now calculates the poverty line in India using information gathered by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), which is part of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI).
  • The Planning Commission, a policy think tank that once calculated the poverty line in India, has been superseded by NITI Aayog.
• Consumption vs. Income Level: India bases its poverty line estimates on consumption expenditures rather than income levels.
• Income Variation: While consumption patterns are relatively more consistent, the income of self-employed individuals, workers earning a daily salary, and others is highly changeable across time and space.
• Additional Income: It can be challenging to account for additional side revenues, even for people who earn a regular salary.
• Data collection:
  • In the case of a consumption-based poverty line, sample-based surveys use a reference period in which households are questioned about their consumption over the previous 30 days, which is an indication of overall consumption.
  • While it is impossible to track the overall income trend, another measure of poverty and hunger issues.
• Reference Period: This is when NSSO staff members survey households and ask them specific questions.

2022 Oxfam Report on Hunger

The full form of Oxfam is Oxford Committee for Famine Relief. It was established in 1942 in Britain. Oxfam’s mission is to assist in finding long-term solutions to the injustice of issues relating to poverty and hunger.

2022 Oxfam Report on Hunger
Title of the Report	The Hunger Virus Multiplies (Deadly Recipe Of Conflict, Covid-19 And Climate Accelerate World Hunger)
Summary	More people are dying from hunger than from disease. The ongoing violence has exacerbated poverty and catastrophic food insecurity in the world’s hunger hotspots and created strongholds in new epicentres of hunger.

Hunger Issues in India

• There are many Issues Relating to Poverty and Hunger. For example, 189.2 million people in India are undernourished, according to FAO estimates in “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, 2020 report.” Also, read FAO Report here!
• According to this metric, 14% of people in India are undernourished. In addition, 51.4% of women between the ages of 15 and 49 who are fertile are anaemic.
• Additionally, the report states that 20% of Indian children under five are wasting, which means their weight is too low for their height, and 34.7% of children under five are stunted (too short for their age).
• Children who are malnourished are more likely to pass away from common ailments like pneumonia, malaria, and diarrhoea.
• India is ranked 101st out of the 116 nations in the 2021 Global Hunger Index rankings. India has a serious level of hunger, with a score of 27.5.

How Does Poverty relate to Hunger?

Global hunger is primarily caused by poverty. Issues Relating to Poverty and Hunger are majorly increasing in India. Millions of individuals in developing nations simply cannot afford the land or farming equipment they need to grow or otherwise acquire access to nutrient-rich food due to the unequal distribution of income and lack of resources.

How Can We Stop Poverty and Hunger?

• Donation: There are numerous ways in which donations might be helpful. They don’t necessarily have to come in monetary form.
• Put an end to gender inequality: Putting an end to gender inequality is important to address Issues Relating to Poverty and Hunger.
• Raising Awareness: Awareness should be raised on social media platforms by sharing links on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms.
• Take Independent Action: There are some straightforward ways to contribute, like sponsoring a needy family and encouraging others to do the same or paying for a poor child’s education.
• Create employment globally: More employment opportunities should be created globally to oversee issues relating to poverty and hunger.
• Everyone Should Be Taught Education Boosts Individual Earnings for Each Family: According to UNESCO, acquiring fundamental reading skills will help 171 million people escape the worst forms of poverty, ultimately lowering global poverty rates by 12%.
• Health and education are directly impacted by access to clean water and sanitation. Currently, 800 million people lack access to clean water and 2.5 billion lack sufficient sanitation.
• World Hunger Day: World Hunger Day was first celebrated on May 28, 2011, by The Hunger Project, a non-profit organisation committed to solving the world hunger problem that was started in 1977.

Highlights of the Report

• There are now 155 million people living in 55 different countries who are extremely food insecure, an increase of 20 million from last year.
• More than 520,000 individuals live in famine-like conditions, up by six since the pandemic started.
• As a result of the three deadly Cs – conflict, COVID-19, and the climate crisis, 11 people probably die from acute hunger every minute today.
• Since the corona pandemic started, violence has been the main cause of poverty and hunger issues, forcing approximately 100 million people in 23 countries with active conflicts into food crises or worsening food insecurity.
• Since the outbreak, hunger has increased to its worst degree. The number of individuals in Ethiopia, Madagascar, South Sudan, and Yemen experiencing famine-like circumstances has significantly grown, reaching 521,814 people.
• Most nations with such extreme levels of hunger have had protracted periods of bloodshed, conflict, and unrest.
• By the end of 2021, 745 million people are expected to live in extreme poverty, an increase of 100 million since the pandemic began.
• The most hard-hit marginalised groups include women, those who have been displaced, and unorganised labour.
• During the pandemic, the wealthiest kept getting richer. Last year, the wealth of the top 10 earners—nine men—rose by $413 billion.
• The main cause of issues relating to poverty and hunger this year was the climate catastrophe.

The Three Lethal Cs

The three lethal Cs are discussed below.

1. COVID-19 economic failure

• The economic recession brought on by border restrictions, corporate lockdowns, and market closures has made things worse for the most vulnerable individuals and increased hunger. 
• As poverty soared by 16%, the global economy shrank by 3.5%.
• 33 million workers lost their employment globally in 2020. 
• The epidemic caused widespread unemployment, costing $3.7 trillion in lost labour income, or 4.4% of the world's GDP in 2019.
• Food prices have risen by about 40% globally since last year, the largest increase in over ten years. 
• Increased demand for biofuels, lockdowns, and border restrictions that continue to hinder food flows are the main causes.

1. Conflict:

• Almost 100 million people, spread across 23 countries, are hungry due to the conflict, which has continued mostly unabatedly. This number included 22 million new additions just last year. 
• Several of the worst hunger hotspots in the world, including Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, and Yemen, are all driven apart by war.

1. Climate:

• Last year, major weather disasters caused by climate change cost the world $50 billion in damages (including $6 billion in Honduras alone), and they were the main cause of the crisis levels of hunger that nearly 16 million people in 15 countries experienced.
• The impact of these climate crisis shocks on agriculture and food production was 63%, and the poor and vulnerable nations, who have made the smallest contributions to climate change, have been the hardest hit.

Initiatives for Poverty and Hunger by the Indian Government

The Indian government launched several programmes to combat hunger in the country.

The Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP)

It was first implemented in 1978–1979 and became universal on October 2, 1980. It was created to help the rural poor by providing bank credit and subsidies for opportunities to find gainful work.

Jawahar Rozgar Yojana/Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana (JRY)

The JRY aimed to provide the unemployed and underemployed in rural areas with meaningful work possibilities by developing economic infrastructure, community resources, and social assets.

Indira Awaas Yojana for Rural Housing

The Indira Awaas Yojana (LAY) initiative seeks to provide free housing to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families in rural regions, with a focus on SC/ST households.

Food for Work Program

Seeks to improve food security by increasing wage employment. States receive free food grain deliveries, but the Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns have had trouble keeping up with the demand.

National Old Age Pension Scheme

The federal government offers this pension. Panchayats and municipalities carry out this scheme across the states and union territories. Depending on the state, the state contribution may change.

Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana

The scheme’s primary goals are creating wage jobs, developing long-lasting economic infrastructure in rural areas, and providing food and nutrition security for the underprivileged.

MGNREGA

Every rural household is given 100 days of guaranteed employment each year under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act of 2005 (MGNREGA). Women would only be eligible for one-third of the planned positions. The federal government will also establish National Employment Guarantee Funds. State governments will also create State Employment Guarantee Funds for the program.

Aajeevika (2011)

National Rural Livelihood Mission It developed to give the impoverished in rural areas jobs that pay a consistent monthly wage and to diversify their requirements. To aid the needy, self-help groups are established at the village level.

The National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM)

organizes urban poor people into self-help groups, provides chances for skill development that lead to market-based employment, and assists them in starting their businesses by assuring easy access to credit.

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana will concentrate on those entering the workforce, particularly class X and XII dropouts.

Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana

Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana succeeded in opening 1.5 crore bank accounts and had the direct benefit transfer of subsidies, pensions, insurance, and other benefits as its goal. The programme focuses especially on the unbanked poor.

Some Global Initiatives To Curb Issues Relating to Poverty and Hunger

The Sustainable Development Goals include food as their central focus (SDGs). The SDG’s Goal 2 is “Zero Hunger.”

Several global projects to combat Issues Relating to Poverty and Hunger are listed below.

• Fight Hunger First – Welthungerhilfe, or WHH, has been putting many programmes into place in rural Bangladesh and India to create a world free from hunger and poverty. The FAO, a UN body, established it.
• The Initiative to End Poverty – The ILO’s efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to combat poverty will be carried on through this Centenary Initiative, which was created especially for that purpose.
• The 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, also known as Rio+20, launched the Zero Hunger Challenge, which includes addressing the sustainability of all food systems and the vision of zero food loss and waste. The Zero Hunger Challenge is an initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
• No Hungry With the help of humanitarian food aid, the World Food Programme gives nourishing food to those in desperate need. While doing so, complementary initiatives strengthen community resilience and address the underlying causes of hunger.

Way Forward

• The government must hold various agencies tasked with carrying out the Welfare Schemes accountable and transparent.
• Making talent and infrastructure development a high focus is necessary.
• more government spending on nutrition, education, and health.
• To assist the target group, the inability to define the poverty line must be fixed.
• A quick fix is to give the needy direct income transfers. Additionally, universal basic income should be taken into account.
• To reduce rural poverty, the government must invest in agriculture. Only transient problems are addressed by subsidies. Additionally, technology that enables farmers to practice all-weather agriculture must be developed.
• The growth focused on employment: Encourage labour-intensive industries and create jobs in the modern economy.
• To ensure effective service delivery, corruption should be kept in check.

Also, read about Social Empowerment here!

Concluding Remarks

Programs in the social sector that employ technology and rapid economic growth have significantly reduced the number of India’s issues relating to poverty, and hunger has significantly decreased because of rapid economic expansion and the application of technology for social sector activities.

Download Issues Relating to Poverty and Hunger: UPSC Notes PDF here!

Unacceptably large portions of our population continue to experience acute and multifaceted deprivation despite our country’s fast growth and development. Therefore, a more thorough and inclusive approach is needed to end poverty in India.