Bangalore: Over 20 percent of the population, which is about 212 million people, suffer from malnourishment in India. Well-known water expert and Tamil Nadu Planning Commission member P M Natarajan said the figure was taken from the latest estimates of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), reports M R Venkatesh for Deccan Herald.Natarajan pointed out that 50 percent of the children in rural areas suffer from malnutrition, while 21 percent of the affected children suffer from “severe malnutrition.”
Talking of the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals, Natarajan said “It will not be possible for India to achieve these goals without water and food security,” as reported by Deccan Herald.
Further, it was recently announced by Food Minister KV Thomas that India needs a 200 billion rupee top-up for its proposed food security bill, which is meant to ensure subsidised grain for the poor. The bill will be introduced in the budget session of Parliament on February 21.
It was also noted that earlier daily food intake recommended per person was 2,100 kilo calories in urban areas and 2,400 kilo calories in rural areas. This was later reduced by the Tendulkar committee to 1,800 kilo calories per person per day. Natarajan said that an individual needs to consume at least 3,000 kilo calories per day for a healthy life.He further said “India’s elite should show a positive way” by reaching a consensus on inter-basin transfer of surplus waters. He said “By utilising 50 percent of the unutilized water resources for irrigation, we can generate an income of about Rs 1.5 lakh crore per annum through agriculture and pisciculture.”
Natarajan said “No industry on earth can generate as much employment as the agriculture sector. If that happenes, migration of farmers and farm labourers to urban areas could be reduced. Besides, number of water refugees would also come down. This will also arrest farmer suicides in our country,” as reported by Deccan Herald.
