Figure of hungry people falls in India but still far trailing China and Pakistan

The figure of hungry people has fallen in India with its score on the Global Hunger Index recovering to 63rd position in 2013, but the nation still lag behind China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

In 2012, India was placed at the 67th spot on GHI. According to the newest GHI, India still has ‘disturbing levels’ of hunger with the maximum prevalence of underweight in children under five at above 40 percent.

The GHI report has in cooperation been put in order by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and NGOs Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide.

On the GHI, China attained 6th position with moderate level of starvation, while Sri Lanka was at 43, Pakistan at 57 and Bangladesh at 58, having grave intensity of hunger.

The report monitored that South Asia has the highest number of hungry people in the world followed by Sahara region, still as the worldwide hunger is declining.

Reportedly, he report stated, “Social inequality and low nutritional, educational, and social status of women are major causes of child under-nutrition in South Asian region that have impeded improvements in the GHI score.”’

As far as worldwide hunger levels are concerned, the report said that the world score on GHI has decreased by 34 percent this year from the 1990 level, but starvation level continues to remains grave with 19 countries experiencing from either shocking or tremendously shocking levels of hunger.

The Index recognizes starvation levels across 120 developing nations and its scores are on the basis of three evenly weighted pointers – ratio of people malnourished, ratio of children below five underweight and death rate of children below five.