More meat, more nutrition.

"The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) released its report on nutritional intake in India," and it shows "an improvement in nutritional intake between 2011-12 and 2023-24." Not surprising, "The top 5% of the population consumes at least 1.7 times more calories, protein and fat than the poorest 5%." And, "45.9% of the protein consumed by an average Indian in rural India and 38.7% in urban India comes from cereals, which also account for 48% and 40.6% of their average calories intake," wrote Roshan Kishore. "According to the 2019-21 round of National Family and Health Survey (NFHS), 87% men and 75% women in the 15-49 age group reported eating either meat, fish or eggs in India." And, the Consumption Expenditure Survey (CES) conducted in 2022-23 shows that, "the average household spending on eggs, fish and meat increased at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4% and 3% in rural and urban areas between 2009-10 and 2022-23 in real terms," Roshan Kisore and Abhishek Jha. Meat, fish and eggs are more expensive than a vegetarian diet. The Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) shows that "56% of the population had three meals a day while 43% just had two." As expected, 52% in the bottom decile and 63% in the top decile had three meals a day. But, in Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, the share of richer people having 3 meals a day is lower than that in the poorer population. The HCES data also shows that there is less variation among children (1-14 years of age) in having three meals a day among different MPCE (monthly per capita expenditure) classes, than among adults, showing that children receive greater attention to their nutrition than others. Wrote Jha and Kishore. It is very surprising that there is any household in India that cannot afford three meals a day because "The Cabinet led by Prime Minister decided that the Central government will provide free food grains to 813.5 million beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for a period of five years with effect from 1 Janaury 2024." pib.gov.in. And "950 million Indians are now covered under at least one social security scheme," according to a recent report by the International Labout Organisation (ILO). TOI. According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), "financial liabilities of households - borrowings - stood at Rs 77 trillion in June 2021." "As of March 2024, this had risen 56% to Rs 120 trillion. Even relative to GDP, this represents an increase of about 4.4%, to 41% of GDP. By June 2024, this was at 42.9% of GDP." Mint. According to the US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) 77 Indian children were abandoned at US borders with Mexico and Canada "without document, guardians or belongings". ET. Eating better, but borrowing more. Can't be related. Can it?