Still hungry: Editorial on the slow improvement in malnutrition indicators in India's children

 

Welfare schemes need to be bolstered by addressing overlapping issues such as funding and corruption before India can fulfil its pledge of providing proper nutrition to its children

A noticeable gap exists between India’s nation­al aspirations and its ground realities. Just two weeks ago, the prime minister assured the nation, once again, that India would soon become a five-trillion-dollar economy. Yet, last week, the minister for women and child development informed Parliament that 37.7% of children enrolled in anganwadis are stunted, while 17.1% are underweight according to the government’s Poshan Tracker. Malnutrition indicators, it was said, have shown signs of improvement. What was left unsaid though is that this improvement is taking place at the rate of about one percentage point annually. This means that India is likely to miss the 2030 deadline to meet the sustainable development goals on child health. While this may seem surprising given that the number of schemes that target child mortality and health have multiplied — going up from 49 in 2008-09 to 93 in 2024-25 — a look at the budgetary ex­penditure on children may reveal the causes for the persistence of child malnutrition. Despite overall allocations to children increasing from Rs 69,242 crore in 2017-18 to Rs 1,09,921 crore in 2024-25, the share of child-focused expenditure in the to­tal Union budget has been declining. This share dropped from 3.2% of the total Union expenditure in 2017-18 to 3% in 2019-20, and further to 2.3% in 2024-25. The largest share of this measly pie goes towards children’s education. Nutrition comes second.

State apathy is not the only burden that India’s children have to bear. The spectre of caste looms large here too. Last year, a study had found that Indian children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds — Dalits and Adivasis, for instance — were more stunted than their counterparts in Sub-Saharan Africa. Those from non-stigmatised caste groups, though, fared better than even India’s national average by over 15 percentage points. Some interventions hold promise. The mid-day meal scheme, for example, has fought malnutrition as well as caste-based food biases, but underfunding, corruption and institutional intimidation — criminal charges were filed against a journalist for exposing poor meals in Uttar Pradesh — undermine its effectiveness. Welfare schemes need to be bolstered by addressing overlapping issues such as funding, corruption and caste before India can fulfil its pledge of providing proper nutrition to its children.

Source: Telegraph India, 19/03/25

How ‘microlightning’ in water droplets may have sparked life on Earth

 

A new study adds another angle to the much-disputed Miller-Urey hypothesis, which argues that life on the planet emerged from a lightning strike. The analysis says that water sprays are sufficient for generating organic compounds, without requiring electricity from external sources

How life began on Earth has been a long-standing mystery, but according to a study the process could have been kicked off simply with crashing waterfalls and breaking waves that would have thrown up mists of water.

The findings add another angle to the much-disputed Miller-Urey hypothesis, which argues that life on the planet emerged from a lightning strike. They were described in the study, ‘Spraying of water microdroplets forms luminescence and causes chemical reactions in surrounding gas’, which was published in the journal Science Advances last week.

What is the Miller-Urey hypothesis?

The Earth formed around 4.6 billion years ago. For a few billion years afterwards, it had a rich mixture of chemicals but almost no organic molecules with carbon-nitrogen bonds. These bonds are crucial for proteins, enzymes, nucleic acids, chlorophyll, and other compounds that makeup living beings today.

In 1952, American chemist Stanley Miller and physicist Harold Urey performed an experiment in which they successfully demonstrated that the organic compounds (such as amino acids) needed for life could form with the application of electricity to a mixture of water and inorganic gases. Put simply, the two scientists showed that a lightning bolt struck the ocean, triggering chemical interaction with gases such as methane, ammonia, and hydrogen that created organic molecules.

The experiment was considered a landmark at the time as it gave one of the possible explanations for how life could have found its first foothold on Earth. However, in the following years, many scientists raised doubts about the experiment, saying “real lightning would have struck infrequently — and mostly in open ocean, where organic compounds would have quickly dispersed,” according to a report by Scientific American.

And what did the new study find?

According to the new study, water spray is sufficient to generate organic compounds without the requirement of external electricity. Stanford University chemist Richard Zare, who led the analysis, told Scientific American, “Unlike lightning… water sprays are everywhere”. Zare and his team showed that when water droplets divide, they develop opposing charges. While larger droplets have positive charges, smaller ones carry negative ones. When these oppositely charged droplets move close together, tiny sparks leap between them. This process, called “microlightning” by the researchers, imitates how lightning forms in clouds. As a result, when Zare and his team sprayed water into a mixture of nitrogen, methane, carbon dioxide and ammonia, it led to the formation of organic compounds, including hydrogen cyanide, glycine, and uracil. According to the researchers, the findings showed that it was not necessarily that lightning strikes may have kick-started life on Earth. Tiny sparks due to crashing waves or waterfalls may have done the job. “On early Earth, there were water sprays all over the place – into crevices or against rocks, and they can accumulate and create this chemical reaction… I think this overcomes many of the problems people have with the Miller-Urey hypothesis,” said Zare in a statement.

Written by Alind Chauhan

Source: Indian Express, 18/03/25

Quote of the Day March 12, 2025

 

“To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing.”
Eva Young

“किसी काम को करने के बारे में बहुत देर तक सोचते रहना अक़सर उसके बिगड़ जाने का कारण बनता है।”
ईवा यंग

Economic and Political Weekly: Table of Contents

 

Vol. 60, Issue No. 10, 08 Mar, 2025

Editorials

Reciprocal Tariffs Will Destabilise International Trade

Comment

Changing Course in Ukraine and US–Russia Diplomacy

From 25 Years Ago

From 25 Years Ago: Poverty and Primary Schooling: Field Studies from Mumbai and Delhi

From 50 Years Ago

From 50 Years Ago-India’s Nuclear Age: Dubious Cost-Benefit

Alternative Standpoint

The Tribal Development Paradox - Infrastructure Challenges and Social Justice for the Madia Tribe in Gadchiroli

Bodhi Ramteke

Commentary

Pink Tax in India - How Compelling Is the Evidence?

Saibal Ghosh

Trump’s ‘America First’ Trade Policy

Biswajit Dhar

Book Reviews

The Changing Landscape of Labour Regulations in India

Angarika Rakshit

Looking to the ‘East’

Somak Biswas

Early Modern State-making - Mughal Law and the Company State

Ayan Sharma

Perspectives

Towards a Gendered Framing of Animal Sexual Abuse in India

Nivedita Ghosh

Special Articles

Prices, Poverty Lines, and Poverty in 2022–23

Himanshu, Peter Lanjouw, Philipp Schirmer

Elevating Non-academic Roles - Professionalising Key Functions in Indian Higher Education

Jai Mohan Pandit

Emergent Plutonomy in India - Limits of Transformative Constitutionalism

Rouf Ahmad Dar, Aejaz Ahmad Wani, Javid Ahmad Dar

Examining Women’s Participation in Van Panchayats of Uttarakhand, India - A Gender as Seriality Analysis

Gautam Prateek

Current Statistics

Current Statistics

Postscript

British Rule and Environmentalism in Wayanad - The Curious Case of Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja

Amiliya Theres Chacko, Sreemoyee Sarkar

Laughing with the Sarabhais, the Parekhs, the Mehtas - An Invitation to Rethink Admiration for Indian Family Sitcoms

Prerna Subramanian

’Begampura‘ in the Ballads of Ambedkar Summer School

Ganesh Gaigouria

Last Lines

Letters

Missing National Outrage against Manual Scavenging

Aishwarya Karan, Bhoopendra Kumar Ahirwar

Microeconomic Lens on Educational Inequality

Siva Gurunathan S, Muzammil A

World Air Quality Report 2024

 A recent report by IQAir revealed that India is among the world’s most polluted nations. Thirteen of the top twenty polluted cities globally are located in India. Byrnihat, Assam, is identified as the most polluted city. Despite a slight improvement in air quality, the overall situation remains dire.

Current Air Quality Statistics

• According to the World Air Quality Report 2024, India ranks as the fifth most polluted country, a slight improvement from third place in 2023.
• The average PM2.5 concentration in India decreased by 7% to 50.6 micrograms per cubic metre.
• However, cities like Delhi continue to struggle, with a PM2.5 level of 91.6 micrograms per cubic metre. This figure is nearly unchanged from the previous year.

Major Polluted Cities in India

The report lists Byrnihat, Delhi, Mullanpur, Faridabad, Loni, New Delhi, Gurugram, Ganganagar, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi, Muzaffarnagar, Hanumangarh, and Noida among the world’s top polluted cities. These cities report PM2.5 levels exceeding WHO limits by over ten times.

Health Impacts of Air Pollution

Air pollution affects public health. Life expectancy is reduced by an estimated 5.2 years due to poor air quality. A study published in Lancet Planetary Health indicates that approximately 1.5 million deaths annually from 2009 to 2019 were linked to long-term exposure to PM2.5 pollution. PM2.5 particles, smaller than 2.5 microns, can infiltrate the lungs and bloodstream, causing severe health issues such as respiratory diseases, heart conditions, and cancer.

Sources of Air Pollution

Key sources of air pollution in India include vehicle emissions, industrial discharges, and the burning of biomass and crop waste. These pollutants contribute to the high PM2.5 levels observed in urban areas.

Proposed Solutions and Actions

Experts advocate for immediate action to address air quality issues. Recommendations include replacing biomass with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and providing higher subsidies for the poorest families. Expanding public transport and enforcing stricter emission laws are also vital. A combination of incentives and penalties for industries and vehicles is essential for effective pollution control.

Government and Community Role

The government must enhance data collection and take decisive action. Community involvement is crucial in promoting awareness and advocating for cleaner practices. Collaboration between the government, industries, and citizens can lead to improvements in air quality.

Faith and child rights

 

Does the doctrine of religious freedom extend to binding commitments made by or for children, especially when those commitments may contravene their other fundamental rights?

Imagine a young boy or a girl dressed in the robes of a monk reciting prayers in a dimly-lit monastery. Now picture another child engrossed in a classroom debate about rights, freedoms, and the principles enshrined in a modern Constitution. Both hypothetical situations are rich with meaning but they represent two vastly different lenses through which a young mind perceives the world. As societies strive to balance cultural heritage with democratic ideals, the question arises — how do we nurture children to embrace the constitutional freedoms while respecting the traditions of faith?

Diksha marks the initiation of an individual into a monastic life. Many people attain diksha in old age. But a recent trend shows a rise in the number of youngsters taking diksha. A child pandit-turned-social-media-­sensation, who speaks about Hindu religion and philosophy, is a case in point.

This growing inclination among children and young adults towards religious renunciation raises questions about the balance between religious practices and the rights of children enshrined in democratic frameworks. In countries like India, where both cultural pluralism and constitutional liberalism coexist, the judiciary has repeatedly upheld the importance of protecting essential religious practices under Article 25 of the Constitution. Yet, this protection must be weighed against Article 21A, which guarantees the right to education, and international obligations such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which India has ratified.

Rituals like diksha are deeply rooted in the cultural and spiritual fabric of communities. But critics highlight the ethical dilemma of children being bound to lifelong commitments without fully understanding their implications. Furthermore, such practices often lead to the curtailment of basic rights, including the right to education, freedom of choice, and access to a well-rounded development. While spiritual growth is undeniably valuable, should it come at the cost of other freedoms?

The tension between tradition and modernity becomes even more pronounced when viewed through the lens of liberal constitutionalism. A democratic State must safeguard the freedom to practise one’s religion but it must also ensure that vulnerable groups—particularly children — are protected from decisions that might undermine their autonomy. The Indian Constitution strikes a delicate balance between protecting religious freedom and ensuring fundamental rights for all. Article 25 guarantees the freedom of religion, allowing individuals the right to profess, practise, and propagate their faith. However, this right is not absolute and is subject to public order, morality, health, and other provisions of Part III of the Constitution. Article 21, which ensures the right to life and personal liberty, has been expansively interpreted by the judiciary to include the right to live with dignity, access education, and make informed life choices. Furthermore, Article 21A mandates free and compulsory education for all children aged 6 to 14, reflecting the State’s commitment to their holistic development. Practices like child diksha, while falling under the purview of religious freedom, must be critically examined in light of these provisions. When such practices curtail a child’s access to education, personal development, and the ability to make autonomous decisions later in life, they raise significant constitutional concerns. The courts have consistently held that no fundamental right, including religious freedom, can override the best interests of children, underscoring the need to prioritise their rights to education, development, and a future of free choice.

Does the doctrine of religious freedom extend to binding commitments made by or for children, especially when those commitments may contravene their other fundamental rights?

Bhuvnesh Kumar, Sharad Panwar

Source: Telegraph India, 11/03/2025

Manipur’s strained peace: Ham-handed approach is likely to cause more harm than good

 The death of a Kuki protester and injuries to several others on March 8, including security forces personnel, shattered four months of relative calm in Manipur. The incident occurred when the protesters resisted the government’s efforts to open the highway from Senapati to Imphal in Kangpokpi district, north of Imphal. The highway connects Manipur with the rest of India through Nagaland and is the lifeline of the state for the movement of goods and personnel to the Meitei-dominated Imphal valley. This, and other highways connecting Manipur to other states, have been blocked for the last 22 months since the ethnic violence started. The other highway that was sought to be opened was the one connecting Imphal to Churachandpur. The bus managed to go up to Kangvai — about 20 km from Churachandpur town — through the Meitei areas but did not go beyond to the Kuki areas.

The incident is confirmation of the fact that the situation in Manipur is far from normal, and the tensions between the two conflicting communities are unlikely to be resolved anytime soon by symbolic actions such as the resignation of N Biren Singh and the subsequent imposition of President’s Rule.

The opening of highways from Imphal to Kangpokpi and Churachandpur was mandated by Home Minister Amit Shah in the security review meeting held on March 1. The Kukis, however, have reiterated that they will not allow the highways to be opened until their demand for an autonomous territory (separate administration) is met.

There is no denying the fact that blocking of highways has put the residents of the Imphal valley through a lot of hardship, leading to shortages of essential commodities. Prices have soared as well. The highways, therefore, must be opened. However, the manner and urgency in which this step has been initiated after 22 months of inaction is an example of the lack of perspective and priorities of the powers that be.

It is imperative that the authority and will of the government be enforced. However, that must be done diligently through a properly conceived plan of action. As has been stated by many experts, the first and foremost step is to ensure that all the weapons looted from the armouries of the Manipur Police and India Reserve Battalions are recovered. The deadline for this has gone by, with only a handful of sophisticated weapons having been surrendered. This is a dangerous situation. The armed forces must therefore be given a free hand to operate to recover these weapons.

Simultaneous action should be initiated to convince the chiefs and respected individuals of each community about the advantages of ensuring peace in general, besides the benefits and necessity of opening the supply routes. As of now, even if the highways are opened, there is no possibility of an individual from one community venturing through an area dominated by the other community. The fact that the vehicle going towards Churachandpur had to stop at Kangvai is proof that people do not feel safe crossing over the barriers that have been put up by security forces to separate the communities. However, by attempting to do so as an initial step, the government appears to be putting the cart before the horse.

Another issue with this approach is that it will involve committing a large number of troops to ensure that the convoys are not attacked. This will leave them with insufficient numbers of troops to conduct operations to recover weapons and dominate the area to ensure law and order. This will also bring troops into direct confrontation with civilians, which may result in casualties and thus cause further discontent.

While it is tempting to say that there is no point in harping on the past and that we must look forward, the impact of the violence of the last 22 months on the psyche of the victims and the communities involved cannot be forgotten easily. The government, therefore, must initiate a large-scale outreach to the people before initiating any coercive action. A ham-handed approach is likely to cause more harm than good

Sanjiv Krishnan Sood

Source: Indian Express, 11, 3/25