India's higher growth not translated in reducing hunger

Unlike China, higher economic growth is not translated into a more rapid reduction of hunger in India, which has more hungry people than its neighbouring countries, a US-based policy think-tank said today.
"It is ironic that out of 84 countries, India ranks 67th for having alarming scale of hunger. Higher growth rates in India has not been translated into hunger reduction,"Ashok Gulati,International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Director Asia, told reporters after the release of the 2010 Global Hunger Index (GHI) here.
China's economy, which is four times bigger than India, has made remarkable progress in reducing hunger. As a result, the country has been ranked at the ninth place, he said.
India's economy grew at 7.4 per cent in 2009-10 fiscal and is expected to touch 8.5 per cent this financial year.
Gulati pointed out China has been successful in expanding its economy fast, with reforms in agriculture followed by manufacturing and services sectors.
"On the contrary, India's growth story is more focused on services sector, especially IT and telecom. Agriculture sector is still waiting for reforms," he noted.
However, despite lower economic growth, even neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have been successful in reducing hunger, he added.
Gulati further explained that one per cent farm growth is 2-3 times more effective in tackling hunger. But presently, there are not enough reform packages to boost farm growth, as we have for services and manufacturing sector. Agriculture in India is most controlled sector, he added.
India's agricultural growth in 2009-10 fiscal fell to 0.2 per cent, while it was 1.6 per cent last year.
According to the 2010 GHI, which is jointly prepared by the IFPRI and German group Concern Worldwide and Welthunger Hilfe, the high index scores in India are driven by high levels of child underweight, resulting from the low nutritional and social status of women in the country.