ALIGARH, Mar 31: Noted economist, Prof. Jean Dreze delivered the ninth IG Khan Memorial Lecture on ‘Hunger and the Indian Enigma’ at the Kennedy Auditorium, Aligarh Muslim University.

Referring to the economic growth in South Asia, Professor Dreze said that India lagged behind even its neighbours in education, health and food and medicine availability to the people despite the country’s economic viability in terms of GDP growth. He said that India has not been able to overcome the restraints in reducing malnutrition and improving the quality of life of a large section of its population.

Prof. Dreze said that it was in stark contrast to the situation in neighboring countries like Nepal and Bangladesh, which, although ‘poorer’ than India, economically, performed very well on these indicators. He expressed disappointment on malnutrition rampant in rural and under developed suburb, while it needed only a boiled egg or one banana and lemon to provide every child the required amount of nutrition.

He observed that privileged people in high positions and power were opposed to the ambitious programmes like MNNREGA and Food Security Bill. A strong reason for this was lack of perspective and their inability to associate themselves with conditions of poor.

Saba Naqvi, eminent journalist and correspondent of English monthly, Outlook, chaired the session and supported the contents of Prof. Dreze’s lecture.