Malnutrition India's Biggest Challenge; Rice And Wheat Not Enough, Says Nobel Laureate Abhijit Banerjee
In an interview with Eenadu–ETV Bharat during a literary festival in Hyderabad, Banerjee said malnutrition remains India’s biggest challenge, with a severe deficiency of proteins.
Published : January 27, 2026 at 6:15 PM IST
Hyderabad: Access to adequate and nutritious food is a key indicator of a nation's progress, Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee has said, stressing that the rice and wheat distributed through fair-price shops are insufficient to address India's deep-rooted malnutrition problem. He underlined the need to include proteins and vitamins in people's diets and called for the mandatory provision of eggs to schoolchildren.
In an interview with Eenadu–ETV Bharat during a literary festival in Hyderabad, Banerjee said that malnutrition remains India's biggest challenge, with a severe deficiency of proteins in the daily diets of a large section of the population, leading to widespread health issues.
"Eradicating poverty will not be possible if funding for welfare schemes is reduced," Banerjee warned, adding that governments must take the lead in ensuring the availability of nutritious food rich in proteins and vitamins.
Banerjee, an American economist of Indian origin, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2019, along with Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer, for their research on an experimental approach to alleviating global poverty.
He noted that providing eggs to schoolchildren across the country would be a highly cost-effective way to improve nutrition. Referring to the 2026 Union Budget, which will be presented on February 1 in Lok Sabha, Banerjee said it should focus on effectiveness rather than conventional frameworks.
Is poverty declining in India?
Banerjee said access to proper food reflects real progress. At present, the poor spend nearly 40 per cent of their income on food, while wealthier sections spend around 60 per cent. As incomes rise, the poor tend to spend more on non-food items and amenities rather than on nutritious food. Food choices, he said, are complex, with increased consumption of tea, coffee, and snacks. He stressed that traditional foods should be promoted not merely for cultural reasons but for their nutritional value.
Talking about the malnutrition issue in the country, he said, it requires more than just distributing food grains to address hunger. Improving services at Anganwadi centres is crucial to preventing malnutrition among children. He also emphasised that empowering women and increasing awareness can help inculcate healthier habits within families.
Commenting on the proposed G RAMG scheme in place of the employment guarantee programme, Banerjee cautioned that reducing central funding would widen inequalities between states. Poorer states, in particular, would receive fewer resources, which won't help the objective of poverty eradication, he said.
Vision for a developed India by 2047
On whether India could become a $30 trillion economy by 2047, Banerjee said economic growth cannot be predicted with certainty. "It is impossible to say when economies will grow or stagnate, and therefore such projections remain uncertain," he said.
Banerjee said India's position as the world's fourth or fifth-largest economy is not especially meaningful from a welfare perspective. Given the country’s large population, economic progress should be assessed primarily through per capita income rather than overall GDP rankings, he added.
The economist concluded by saying that the upcoming Union Budget should move beyond conventional approaches and focus on effectiveness, prioritise poverty alleviation, urban decentralisation, and improvements in the overall health and living standards of the people.
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