Centre neglected development of children since 2014: NCP on India's poor Global Hunger Index ranking

Mumbai: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Saturday alleged India's latest ranking in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2022 indicates that the Central government neglected the development of children over the last eight years.

India ranked 107 out of 121 countries in the GHI 2022 with its child-wasting rate at 19.3 per cent, being the highest in the world.

Shockingly, Afghanistan with a rank of 109 is the only country behind India in Asia, while neighbouring countries - Pakistan (99), Bangladesh (84), Nepal (81) and Sri Lanka (64) have all fared better than India.

In 2021, India ranked 101 out of 116 countries while in 2020 the country was placed in 94th position.

NCP national spokesman Clyde Crasto said the government owes an answer to the nation on this sensitive issue.

The GHI scores are based on values of four component indicators - undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting and child mortality.

"From GHI rank 55 in 2014 to 107 in 2022 means the NDA government and its Women and Child Development (department) ministers have failed to take care and look after children of our country," Crasto said in a statement.

"India faring worse than all countries in south Asia except Afghanistan shows that the government has neglected the development of children in the last 8 years. The government owes an answer to India on this sensitive issue," he said.