Starvation Deaths and Denial of Welfare Entitlements – Insights from Jharkhand

Abstract

Since December 2014, at least 93 hunger-related deaths have been reported from across the country. Jharkhand tops the list with 27 deaths. This paper attempts to understand why, despite the safety net of food security and social security programmes, some people and groups continue to face hunger. Based on independent fact finding reports and news reports, it analyses the starvation deaths that took place in Jharkhand, where the author is based (and was part of several inquiry teams), and the official response in the last five years. The analysis found that a shock in the form of loss of employment, illness or discontinuation of welfare entitlements for a few months was enough to worsen the chronic hunger of these families, leading to the death. Instead of addressing the vulnerabilities of such families and redressing denial of entitlements, the government denied the role of hunger and tried to divert attention to the definition and classification of starvation death. The cases also show that starvation death needs to be seen as an outcome of persistent undernutrition, hunger and deprivation, rather than just as death brought about by complete absence of food. To reduce chances of future occurrence, there is a need for expanding the amount of support and coverage of social security programmes and putting in place an effective grievance redress mechanism.