Topic 1 : The burden of malnutrition
Introduction: The need for a balanced diet has become a challenge in India. The malnutrition has given rise to various diseases, which in turn has exaggerated the malnutrition problem.
Malnutrition and health disorder: A two-way street
- One of the many causes of anaemia or low haemoglobin is iron deficiency.
- It primarily impacts children and women.
- It is common knowledge that good nutrition is critical for overall health, but what’s not as well-known is the two-way relationship between nutritional deficiencies and certain disorders.
- Consistent intake of food lacking in essential micronutrients can lead to iron deficiency anaemia and Vitamin A, and zinc deficiency, and impair immunity.
- Conversely, conditions such as celiac disease and infections like h. pylori or worm infestations can disturb the digestive system, leading to nutrient deficiencies.
- Malnutrition caused by micronutrient deficiency has inter-generational impacts — anaemic mothers are known to give birth to anaemic babies.
The government’s intervention against Anaemia in India
- Government programmes like Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) are among the biggest targeted measures to tackle the disorder.
- It involves administering iron and folic acid (IFA) tablets and other prophylactic measures.
- The Mid-day Meal Scheme for school children is another such intervention.
- However, challenges of effective implementation persist.
Significance of a balanced diet
- The burden of malnutrition is complex and needs to be addressed through multiple interventions.
- Diet plays a significant role. In pre-industrial times, a diverse and balanced diet was the norm.
- The traditional thaali comprises a balanced quantity of cereals, pulses, and vegetables seasoned with spices and herbs.
- Consuming fruits, seeds, nuts and dairy options has historically been regarded as an effective means of maintaining a balanced diet.
- Today, dietary patterns have shifted from seasonal and varied foods to processed and sugar-laden alternatives, which are calorically dense but nutritionally deficient.
- The onus seems to be on people to recognise that reducing consumption of processed foods is a crucial step towards ensuring better health outcomes.
State of nutrition security in South Asia
- The bigger challenge is that about 46 per cent of South Asia’s population lacks access to an affordable balanced diet, as per FAO data.
- According to The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, 2023, around 74 per cent of India’s population could not afford a healthy diet, and 39 per cent fell short of a nutrient-adequate one.
Role of Large-Scale Food Fortification (LSFF)
- Recent government interventions such as Large-Scale Food Fortification (LSFF) are timely.
- These could augment the ongoing efforts at individual and community levels.
- LSFF, when aligned with micronutrient supplementation programmes, diet diversity promotion and measures to induce behavioural change has immense potential to improve the efficacy of existing initiatives.
- Food fortification may not be the ideal remedy.
- However, it is a vital first step.
- Many countries adopted universal food fortification several years ago. India lags behind here.
- At the same, fortification in India is not a completely novel strategy.
- The adoption of iodised salt under the National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Programme in 1992 significantly reduced goitre rates.
- The country’s food fortification programme now includes adding micronutrients to staples such as wheat flour, rice, edible oils, and salt.
An awareness of fortified food: need of the hour
- Awareness is critical to the acceptance of fortified foods among the targeted beneficiaries.
- The appearance and texture of such foods — fortified rice kernels, for instance — often create misgiving.
- Addressing such concerns requires an intensive information, education and communication (IEC) campaign.
- An important step in this direction is to inform the beneficiaries about the stringent standards of fortification.
- Research also shows no danger of iron toxicity from such food — the quantity of iron in fortified foods is similar to that of the naturally occurring nutrient.
- In any case, the body’s homeostasis in people with normal health prevents excess iron absorption.
- Multiple awareness strategies can be adopted to foster greater awareness.
- This includes utilising communication channels such as community radio, videos and door-to-door outreach.
- Messages in vernacular languages ensure that the information is easily understood and also helps dispel misconceptions and build trust.
Conclusion: Government programmes to fortify staples should be supplemented with initiatives on balanced diets. The way forward involves not just the adoption of healthier dietary practices at the individual and community levels but also strategies by the state such as LSFF.
Topic 2 : Growth with caveats
Introduction: India’s GDP is projected to rise 7.3 per cent in 2023-24, but private final consumption growth is at just 4.4 per cent, which is a worrying sign for the sustainable growth trajectory of India.
The private final consumption is not growing at par with the growth rate
- Unlike China, the Indian economy has traditionally been consumption-based as opposed to investment-driven.
- It shows the sign of distress is also corroborated by other data.
- Hindustan Unilever, the bellwether for India’s fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, reported a 0.4 per cent year-on-year decline in sales revenue for the October-December 2023 quarter, with a mere 2 per cent underlying volume growth.
- Even within FMCG, there is a divergence between the premium-luxury and the price-sensitive mass segments, with the former products continuing to fly off the shelves.
- Also, the demand fragility seems more in rural than in urban areas.
- This is reflected in tractor sales falling 4.1 per cent in April-December 2023 over April-December 2022.
- Two-wheeler sales are up, but will still end the fiscal with numbers way below that of 2017-18 and 2018-19.
The lack of income growth is the factor behind the drop in private consumption
- At the core of all this are incomes, which aren’t growing enough.
- The problem, again, is with lower- and middle-class households, especially in rural areas.
- Rural wages, according to economists at UBS Securities, increased 5.8 per cent year-on-year in October and November 2023.
- The growth, in nominal terms without adjusting for inflation, was even lower at 5.3-5.4 per cent for non-agricultural wages.
- Another indicator is MGNREGA. The flagship rural scheme has generated about 260 crore person-days of employment so far in 2023-24.
- With more than two months remaining, the fiscal is set to register the highest-ever employment under the scheme after 2020-21 and 2021-22.
- For an economy that has supposedly fully emerged from the pandemic-induced shocks of those two years, the continued robust demand for MGNREGA work is striking (problematic).
The sustainability of India’s long-term growth rate
- If incomes and consumption aren’t rising as much as recorded GDP, it raises obvious questions on the sustainability of India’s current growth story.
- The incumbent government can rightfully claim credit for its welfare schemes — public provisioning of essential private goods such as LPG and electricity connections, housing, drinking water, toilets and bank accounts — that have helped lift millions out of so-called multidimensional poverty.
- But as Ashok Gulati has pointed out, all these measures have no meaning if not accompanied by a reduction in poverty based on income and real wages.
- Without jobs and incomes, there can be no consumption or savings to fuel growth, investment and poverty reduction on a sustainable basis.
How to raise rural income level?
Boosting the agricultural sector:
- Improving irrigation infrastructure: Reliable access to water can significantly increase agricultural productivity and income.
- Promoting sustainable farming practices: Techniques like crop diversification, soil conservation, and organic farming can improve yields and resilience to climate change.
- Enhancing market access: Connecting farmers directly to consumers through farmer markets, cooperatives, and e-commerce platforms can reduce their dependence on middlemen and increase their profits.
- Investing in agricultural research and development: Developing new, high-yielding, and disease-resistant crop varieties can significantly boost agricultural output.
Diversifying rural livelihoods:
- Skill development programs: Equipping rural youth with relevant skills in sectors like manufacturing, services, and handicrafts can open up new employment opportunities.
- Promoting rural entrepreneurship: Providing microfinance, incubation centers, and mentorship programs can support the creation of small businesses in rural areas.
- Developing the rural tourism industry: Leveraging the unique cultural heritage and natural beauty of rural areas can create jobs and income opportunities.
Improving infrastructure and social services:
- Investing in rural roads and transportation: Better connectivity can facilitate the movement of goods and people, opening up markets and opportunities.
- Ensuring access to quality education and healthcare: These are essential for improving the overall well-being and productivity of rural populations.
- Providing clean water and sanitation facilities: These are basic necessities that contribute to better health and quality of life.
Conclusion: Incomes and consumption aren't rising as much as GDP. This raises questions about sustainability of growth story. With a per capita GDP of hardly $2,500, India’s focus should be on boosting investment, jobs, and incomes.