India, July 3 -- Nutritional adequacy underpins an economy's growth to a significant extent. In this context, the latest Household Consumption Expenditure Survey provides data on nutritional intake that should prompt policymakers to bridge gaps.

First, the calorie consumption at the lowest fractile of India's economic classes (the bottom 5% of the population by expenditure) remains significantly below what is considered ideal for Indian adults. At 1,688 kilocalories (kCal) a day in rural areas and 1,696 kCal in urban areas, the average intake falls short of the recommended daily intake of 2,500 kCal by close to a third. Even as governments - both the Centre and the states - try to ensure adequate intake through support programmes includi...