Another Wave Spells More Nutrition Loss

Context: An analysis on continuing pandemic impact and rising food insecurity in India.

Pandemic and food insecurity

• Precarious pre-pandemic condition: India ranked 102 among 117 countries in Global Hunger Index 2019
• The Rapid Rural Community Response (RCRC) Survey: Collected three rounds of data since lockdown (third round conducted between December 2020-January 2021)
  • Persistence of cutting down on food even nine months after 1^st lockdown: 40% of households cut down on food during 1^st lockdown, 25% continued to cut down during 3^rd round of the survey.
  • Higher cutting down on nutritious food: 80% cut down on milk, vegetables, pulses, and oil (around 50% reported cutting down on pulses alone).
  • Worst performing states: Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.
  • Underlying cause: People losing their jobs and/or being pushed into lower income brackets over time due to the nature and handling of the pandemic.
  • Downward shift in incomes: Over 70% reported a reduction in incomes post the pandemic.
    • While 55% of households recalled earning less than Rs.5,000 per month prior to the pandemic, 74% reported doing so in December 2020-January 2021.
  • Worst impact on migrants: 74% of households had migrant members who had returned to the village during or after lockdown (in mid-2020).
    • 57% among them had gone back to destination city by December-January, with 59% of those remaining also wanting to go back.
    • Limited state support: Among the poorest, households with migrants were more likely to seek work than those without, but less likely to get work under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme.
• Shrinking middle class: shrunk by over 32 million households in 2020-21 (Pew Research Center)

Way forward

• Reform state intervention: The government promised to restart Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) with 5 kg of rice/wheat per person per month for next two months. Needed reforms
  • Need for similar support for stable longer periods.
  • Expand current offering to include nutritious foods like pulses.
• Address issues faced in existing schemes: Such as MGNREGA (delays in wages and rationing).
  • Ramp up food security schemes: Such as ration provided to children through anganwadis, Public Distribution System and mid-day meal scheme.
• New schemes: Such as a potential urban employment scheme should be explored.
• Expand community kitchens (Such as Amma canteens): For migrants stuck in cities without work.