Why a session of people in India is still without food?

January 4, 2026 •

4 min read

According to the Global Hunger Index 2024, India's hunger crisis is ranked as 'serious,' revealing a complex paradox where surplus food stocks coexist with millions facing food insecurity. This stark reality raises the critical question of why a session of people in India is still without food, highlighting the systemic challenges beyond simple food availability.

Quick Summary

An analysis of hunger in India reveals that despite sufficient food production, complex factors like socioeconomic inequality, poverty, climate change, and systemic failures in the Public Distribution System prevent a section of the population from accessing adequate nutrition.

Key Points

Access, not availability, is the problem: Despite producing enough food to feed its population, India's challenge is rooted in distribution and access, not a shortage of food.
Socioeconomic inequality is a major driver: Income disparities, low wages, and a lack of purchasing power leave many poor families unable to afford nutritious food.
The PDS is deeply flawed: The Public Distribution System, while a lifeline for many, suffers from significant corruption, leakage, and ineffective targeting, which prevents food from reaching those in need.
Climate change and poor infrastructure exacerbate hunger: Environmental degradation and weak infrastructure for storage and transport contribute to food waste and disrupt supply chains, particularly affecting the most vulnerable.
Malnutrition impacts health, education, and productivity: The consequences of hunger, including stunted growth and micronutrient deficiencies, create a vicious cycle that perpetuates poverty and limits human potential.
Targeted solutions are needed: Addressing the hunger crisis requires specific interventions that focus on strengthening the PDS, tackling poverty, and protecting vulnerable populations like women and children.

India has made significant strides in food production, reaching self-sufficiency in food grains, yet the paradox of hunger persists. Millions face food insecurity not due to a lack of supply, but because of systemic failures and deep-rooted socioeconomic issues. The problem of why a session of people in India is still without food is multifaceted, involving poverty, flawed distribution, and societal inequalities.

The Paradox of Abundance

India’s agricultural output is sufficient to feed its population, yet a significant portion remains undernourished. The core issue is not production, but access. A thriving economy, driven by neoliberal policies since the 1990s, has exacerbated income inequality, leaving a substantial segment of the population with insufficient purchasing power. As the upper and middle classes consume a larger share of resources, including feed grains for livestock, the poor are left with an ever-decreasing share of food.

Economic and Social Inequality

Poverty: The fundamental driver of food insecurity is poverty. Many individuals, particularly landless laborers, casual workers, and those in the informal sector, earn wages that are too low to afford a nutritious diet. While India has reduced extreme poverty, deep-seated disparities remain.
Gender and Caste Bias: Social inequities related to caste and gender continue to impact food access. Historically marginalized communities, including Dalits and Adivasis, often face higher rates of food insecurity. Gender inequality further compounds the issue, with women and girls often eating last and least in poor families.
Urban vs. Rural Disparity: While rural hunger is often highlighted, rapid urbanization has created new challenges. Urban slums face high food insecurity due to low-wage jobs and costly living expenses.

Systemic Flaws in the Public Distribution System (PDS)

The government operates one of the world's largest food distribution networks, the Public Distribution System (PDS), which provides subsidized food grains to eligible households. However, this system is plagued by significant challenges:

Leakage and Corruption: A substantial portion of subsidized grains is diverted to the open market by corrupt officials and fair price shop owners, leaving the intended beneficiaries without their full entitlement.
Inefficient Targeting: The identification of eligible households remains a major problem, with many poor families being excluded from the system due to inaccurate poverty lines or bureaucratic hurdles.
Storage Issues: Inadequate storage infrastructure leads to significant post-harvest food waste and spoilage, especially in rural areas.
Poor Quality Grains: The quality of food grains distributed through PDS is often substandard, leading to low consumption and nutritional inadequacy.

Climate Change and Environmental Impacts

Environmental factors increasingly threaten food security, disproportionately affecting the poor who have fewer resources to adapt.

Agricultural Vulnerability: Erratic weather patterns, including droughts, floods, and extreme temperatures, directly impact agricultural productivity and crop yields, causing food shortages and income loss for farmers.
Soil and Water Scarcity: Environmental degradation, soil erosion, and water stress further reduce the productive capacity of agricultural land, which is crucial for the livelihoods of the rural poor.

The Human Cost of Hunger

For those affected, the consequences of food insecurity are devastating and perpetuate a cycle of poverty.

Malnutrition and Health Issues: Chronic undernutrition leads to stunting, wasting, and micronutrient deficiencies, particularly among children. This impairs cognitive and physical development, increases susceptibility to illness, and affects overall health.
Reduced Productivity: Malnourished individuals have lower energy levels and are less productive, which limits their earning potential and hinders economic development.
Education and Opportunity: Hungry and malnourished children struggle to concentrate in school and are more likely to drop out, limiting their future opportunities.

Comparing India's Food System: Production vs. Distribution


Aspect	Food Production in India	Food Distribution in India
Availability	Sufficient; India is a major food producer and has surplus grains.	Inefficient; hampered by leakage, corruption, and infrastructure gaps.
Affordability	Market prices are often too high for low-income families.	Subsidized prices are offered via PDS, but access is limited for many.
Targeting	Focuses on large-scale agricultural output.	Flawed; many eligible poor families are excluded from benefits.
Quality	Production volume often prioritized over nutritional quality.	Distribution includes low-quality or expired grains, leading to poor nutrition.
Impact	Creates a facade of national food security.	Fails to ensure food and nutritional security at the household level.

Addressing the Crisis

Ending hunger in India requires a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach. While government schemes like the National Food Security Act and PM Poshan have made an impact, more needs to be done. Strengthening the PDS through digitalization and leak-proof mechanisms is critical. Addressing the root causes of poverty through job creation, fair wages, and improved education is equally essential. Focusing on the unique needs of vulnerable populations—especially women, children, and marginalized communities—is key to achieving meaningful progress. Finally, promoting sustainable, climate-resilient agriculture can secure future food sources for all.

In conclusion, the persistence of hunger and malnutrition in India, despite substantial food reserves, is a reflection of profound and interconnected socioeconomic and systemic failures. It is a crisis of access and equity, not production. Tackling this requires not just more food, but fundamental changes to distribution mechanisms, poverty alleviation programs, and a commitment to inclusive development that reaches every last person. For further details on India's poverty reduction efforts, refer to this World Bank report.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, India is self-sufficient in food grain production and produces enough to feed its entire population. The issue is not availability, but systemic problems with distribution, access, and affordability.

The PDS is a government program distributing subsidized food grains. It is hampered by corruption, leakage of grains into the open market, ineffective targeting of beneficiaries, and poor storage facilities.

Income inequality means that a large segment of the population has low wages and insufficient purchasing power to buy adequate food, regardless of national production levels.

Malnutrition persists due to inadequate dietary intake, low-quality and low-nutrient food, poor sanitation, and limited healthcare access, particularly among the poor.

Climate change-induced weather events like droughts and floods disrupt agriculture, while environmental degradation and water scarcity reduce crop yields, impacting food production and the livelihoods of farmers.

The Indian government has numerous schemes, including the National Food Security Act (NFSA), the Mid-Day Meal Scheme (PM POSHAN), and the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) to address hunger and malnutrition.

Historically, rural areas faced higher rates of food insecurity. However, rapid urbanization is increasing hunger challenges in urban slums due to low incomes, high living costs, and changing dietary patterns.