The concept of ‘Food Security Floor’ was proposed by the HLPE, which provides scientific advice to the CFS of the UN. I am the current chairman of HLPE and our proposal is the adoption of a bottom-line approach in public policies related to achieving the goal of sustainable food security for all in every country. The food security floor will indicate the minimum steps needed for ensuring that every child, woman and man will have an opportunity for a healthy and productive life through access to balanced diet, clean drinking water, sanitation and primary healthcare. The need for effective steps to overcome the widespread malnutrition prevailing in India will be obvious from the position it is occupying now in the world in terms of the per cent of population affected by chronic and hidden hunger.

According to the National Family Health Survey (2005–06), the percentage of malnourished children under five years is over 40. The children born with LBW are above 21 per cent. Nearly 80 per cent of children and 50 per cent of women are anaemic due to hidden hunger. The Planning Commission has estimated that about 217 million of India's population goes to bed hungry. We occupy the one hundred and thirty-fourth position out of 187 countries in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Index 2012. The Global Hunger Index of the IFPRI has placed us in the sixty-fifth position among 79 countries studied. The nutrition barometer (2012) published by Save the Children, indicates that we occupy a very low position in terms of political and financial commitment to the eradication of hunger. A recent report also points out that the number of babies fed with mothers’ milk up to six months age are relatively low in India. The State of Food Insecurity in the World Report 2012 published by the FAO, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) emphasizes that while economic growth is necessary, it alone is not sufficient to accelerate reduction in hunger and malnutrition. Therefore, a direct attack on hunger is essential. A recent report of the Working Group on Nutrition for the Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012–17) mentions that maternal and child under-nutrition levels remain persistently and unacceptably high.