Malnutrition in India is not merely a public health concern; it is also a challenge of social equity, human development and effective welfare governance. Discuss. (Answer in 150 words)

- Malnutrition in India is not merely a public health concern; it is also a challenge of social equity, human development and effective welfare governance. Discuss. (Answer in 150 words)
Introduction
Malnutrition in India reflects not only inadequate nutrition but also deep socio-economic inequalities, weak human capabilities and gaps in welfare delivery, making it a multidimensional governance challenge.
Body
Social Equity:
1. Malnutrition disproportionately affects children, women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and poorer households.
2. Gender discrimination, early marriage and maternal undernutrition perpetuate an inter-generational cycle of deprivation.
3. Regional inequalities create sharp differences in nutritional outcomes across states.
Human Development:
1. Childhood stunting and wasting impair physical growth, cognitive development and learning outcomes.
2. Poor nutrition reduces productivity and future earning capacity, weakening India’s demographic dividend.
3. Anaemia among women undermines maternal and child health.
Welfare Governance:
1. Schemes such as POSHAN Abhiyaan, ICDS, PM-POSHAN and PDS address nutrition through convergence.
2. However, leakages, exclusion errors, poor dietary diversity and weak last-mile delivery reduce effectiveness.
Conclusion
Thus, tackling malnutrition requires nutrition-sensitive agriculture, women’s empowerment, sanitation, healthcare and accountable welfare delivery, making it central to inclusive human development.