The following table shows the proportion of undernourished adults in India. It is based on a survey of various states in the country for the year 2001. Look at the table and answer the following questions:
|
States |
Males (%) |
Females (%) |
|
Kerala Karnataka Madhya Pradesh |
22 36 43 |
19 38 42 |
|
All States |
37 |
36 |
(i) Compare the nutritional level of people in Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.
(ii) Can you guess why around 40 per cent of people in the country are under-nourished even though it is argued that there is enough food in the country? Describe in your our own words.
(i) The nutritional level of people of Kerala is quite higher than the people of Madhya Pradesh. Their ratio of the under-nourished is less than that of Madhya Pradesh.
Kerala has only 22% male and 19% female adults living undernourished whereas percentage of undernourished in Madhya Pradesh is 43% adult males and 42% adult females
(ii) There is enough food in the country, even then 40% of the people in the country are undernourished because:
(a) A large number of people are so poor that they cannot afford nutritious food. There is lack of educational and health facilities in many parts of the country.
(b) In most of the states, the Public Distribution System (PDS) does not function properly and the poor people cannot get cheap food items.
