Nutrition Crisis In India Based on the latest UNICEF report

[greenpeace 0]

Nearly half of the world's hungry live in India

42 per cent of all underweight children, 54 million in numbers, below the age of five live in India

Forty-three per cent of Indian children are suffering from stunted growth

Stunted children in India comprises nearly one-third of all stunted children in the world

India's stunting rates are double those of sub-Saharan Africa and nearly five times those of China

The solutions to undernutrition are known, affordable and effective. But until they are implemented, over 100 million of the world's children will continue to bear the consequences

Source: https://www.unicef.org/photoessays/51757.html

[mahesh2k 0]

* Nearly half of the world's hungry live in India

They mean money or food ? I don't know about this cause here people are not that starving for food. I think they didn't surveyed any other city than mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi etc. There are many other cities and there is no issue of hunger over there.

* 42 per cent of all underweight children, 54 million in numbers, below the age of five live in India.

UNICEF is kidding. They forgot to see overweight people in india. And how they made this stats ? I kinda doubt this report now.

* The solutions to undernutrition are known, affordable and effective. But until they are implemented, over 100 million of the world's children will continue to bear the consequences

Yes, in india people know the problem and solution. The trouble is with implementation. Like with every help they do to others they hold something back. They want something back in return. Be it money or religion conversion or get some work done for free etc. It's habit of people here that give less and take more from the person they recruit them. If they were not selfish like this then there was no hunger/malnutrition at first place. Politicians eating money in the name of building country and helping poor. Individual effort are going down because of this and they hardly make sense in the country with billion population.

[The Simpleton 2]

It'll take a long time for the "implementation" to be done for sure But I agree with mahesh - these stats are somewhat suspicious. I agree that in major cities you see a lot of people suffering but in the villages they manage to live in at least basic conditions if not in comfort. I've never read a UNICEF report before so I don't know how much has changed over the years, but these stats are really unbelievable, and even if unfortunately they're true, it's surely gonna take a long time for our leaders to do anything about it

[greenpeace 0]

One of the most important factor is widespread corruption and inadequate planning. Politicians always need some parts of the country or a community to stay as poor all the time. It is all about vote bank politics. Corruption adds more problems in a country like India where critical decisions are always of pure political nature. If a Govt. allocated Rs. 100.00 for a rural development project, only Rs. 20.00 will reach the final beneficiary, even though all the funds of the nation are subject to strict audit by Controller and Auditor General. The funds, when they are transferred through various agencies like state governments, district authorities, panchayath system and local working group gets highly diluted, or often washed off completely, before it reaches the needy.Development is often concentrated in metro cities where people are more knowledgeable about their rights. India spends most of the money in development to build infrastructure for the middle class, upper middle class and the rich living in urban or semi-urban areas and the poor, that represents a major part of the country's population is conveniently ignored.We need real men and women, selfless to the core, filled with love for the country to work out the solution for the downtrodden. Swami Vivekananda once said; "We must have brave men with a heart that could feel the pain of others, brains that finds out solutions for the suffering and hands that works out the solutions". Now, as Mahesh said, we are having a huge number of charitable organizations trying to religiously convert people so that God will help them...

[mahesh2k 0]

We need real men and women, selfless to the core, filled with love for the country to work out the solution for the downtrodden. Swami Vivekananda once said; "We must have brave men with a heart that could feel the pain of others, brains that finds out solutions for the suffering and hands that works out the solutions". Now, as Mahesh said, we are having a huge number of charitable organizations trying to religiously convert people so that God will help them...

Now this is the problem. When you say "we need mens", why so ? can't we start from ourselves ? I'm supporting one such organization and it is still beginning phase,i don't want to talk about it as i don't want self-promotion for such things. Problem is when there comes issue of money all those who talk take some backseat. They have money to give to politicians,religious issue and some other stuff but when it comes to help blind and disable people, everyone take back seat. I have mixed experience of religious organization, some did good work(hindu & christian charities) but they were not promoted instead charities which was involved in conversion was promoted more. So many people started to ask corporate people for help,so to some extent this helped. But the problem is we have billion people here talking and flaunting there financial position and knowledge and when it comes to helping others they simply refuse or make excuse. Beside that greenpeace, i hate people who just blame it on others and don't do their part. We are only worthy in that position if we ourselves do something for others instead of talks. Gone are the days of swami vivekanand,mother terresa and all. With or without this thread let's wake and do our part else others will just bash with these reports and slumdog millionaire movie.

[contactskn 2]

Dear friends I am living in a small city in India but I have never seen a person starving here. I am not able to digest this survey due to many reasons. Even if it is true it might be on the basis of just sampling method of survey and I don't know which is the city which the survey is based upon. What ever it is I am not able to digest the whole survey.

[mahesh2k 0]

That's right contactskn, they are giving this report based on some cities which are having larger population and are known world wide like mumbai,delhi,Calcutta or Bangalore. The reason we are not able to digest this survey is because of gross generalization. Why i can't see poor and starving in my city but instead i see other disable or blind people ? I do agree that there is lot of poor people in country but report is suspicious for stats.

[greenpeace 0]

Now this is the problem. When you say "we need mens", why so ? can't we start from ourselves ? I'm supporting one such organization and it is still beginning phase,i don't want to talk about it as i don't want self-promotion for such things. Problem is when there comes issue of money all those who talk take some backseat. They have money to give to politicians,religious issue and some other stuff but when it comes to help blind and disable people, everyone take back seat. I have mixed experience of religious organization, some did good work(hindu & christian charities) but they were not promoted instead charities which was involved in conversion was promoted more. So many people started to ask corporate people for help,so to some extent this helped. But the problem is we have billion people here talking and flaunting there financial position and knowledge and when it comes to helping others they simply refuse or make excuse. Beside that greenpeace, i hate people who just blame it on others and don't do their part. We are only worthy in that position if we ourselves do something for others instead of talks. Gone are the days of swami vivekanand,mother terresa and all. With or without this thread let's wake and do our part else others will just bash with these reports and slumdog millionaire movie.

Well Mahesh, when I said we need men to work, I am not excluding myself. I am also a part of an organization working for the poor and needy. At present, I am providing financial support for them and by the end of next year, I am joining them for full time philanthropic work. I know, I cannot make a difference in the society at large but that doesn't mean that I have no role here.

I am doing my part, and trying to extend this part all the time so that I can be of some use for my country...
Edited November 19, 2009 by greenpeace (see edit history)