1st Edition
India’s Undernutrition and Human Capital Addressing the Roots
Introduction
1 The State of Our Human Capital: Assessing the Indicators
2 India’s Undernutrition and Dietary Deficiency Has Deep Roots
3 Causes and Consequences of Malnutrition
4 The Economic Cost of Undernutrition and Dietary Deficit
5 Independent India’s Response
6 Poshan Abhiyaan
7 A Strategy that Worked: Karnataka Comprehensive Nutrition Mission
8 How Do We Improve India’s Nutritional and Health Status within a Generation?
Summing Up: A Roadmap for the Future
Appendix 1: Consultation, June 13, 2014: Addressing India’s Malnutrition: A National Priority
Appendix 2: Consultation – NITI Aayog – June 27, 2016: India’s Malnutrition – A Call to Action
Biography
Veena S Rao, director of AuroCentre for Public Nutrition, Public Health and Public Policy (Bangalore), is a retired IAS officer and former Secretary to Government of India. Her research focuses on public nutrition, health and policy, with significant publications on multi-sectoral nutrition interventions (2022–2025).
"Veena Rao’s book on India’s Undernutrition, Dietary Deficit and Human Capital marshals impressive evidence to describe the state of undernutrition in India. The book shines when it discusses the efficacy of the multipronged approach involving families, community workers, private sector and government sector for nutritional monitoring, food fortification and increasing access to food for the poor and the vulnerable. A go-to book for anyone seeking to understand and address India’s undernutrition."
Dr Sonalde Desai, Professor and Centre Director, National Data Innovation Centre (NCAER NDIC), National Council of Applied Economic Research, New Delhi, Distinguished University Professor, University of Maryland College Park, former President, Population Association of America
"Implementing multi-sectoral interventions to address India’s complex inter-generational undernutrition is indeed a very difficult task, as it requires simultaneous interventions covering health and nutrition services, water and sanitation, care providers, and reduction in income poverty. It becomes doubly difficult in India because multiple ministries are involved – health, women and child development, water, sanitation, agriculture, food processing. Veena Rao demonstrates through her practical work and research in India’s Undernutrition and Human Capital: Addressing the Roots that implementing multiple sectoral interventions is possible and they have quick, positive impact. Government policy makers must take note."
Dr Santosh Mehrotra, Phd (Econ) Cambridge, Visiting Professor, Centre for Development Studies, University of Bath, UK, Visiting Senior Fellow, Centre for Economic & Social Studies, Hyderabad
"Nutrition policy in India has proved consistently unequal to the enormity of the problem. In recent years, it has lost its way in a maze of cosmetic initiatives, even as essential nutrition schemes – from school meals to maternity benefits – were being starved of funds. In this insightful book, Veena Rao presents an inside view of the maze and important pointers to the way forward."
Jean Drèze, Honorary Professor, Delhi School of Economics
