Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements:
Assertion (A): Madhya Pradesh is called the Ethiopia of India.
Reason (R): Its hallmarks are excessive infantile mortality and malnutrition.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below—
Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(A) is true but (R) is false.
(A) is false but (R) is true.
Correct Answer: A
Detailed Solution
According to the Sample Registration System (SRS) 2009, the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) of Madhya Pradesh was 67 per 1,000 live births, whereas the all-India average in the same year was 50 per 1,000 live births. Thus, the State's infant mortality rate was considerably higher than the national average.
Similarly, according to NFHS-3 (2005-06), the prevalence of underweight children in Madhya Pradesh was about 60%, among the highest levels across the States. Therefore, the expression “Ethiopia of India” used in the question was associated with the severe conditions of child mortality and malnutrition prevailing at that time.
It should be remembered that “Ethiopia of India” was not a formal or administrative designation, but a comparison used to describe the extremely poor social and health conditions prevailing at that time.
Current Status
In NFHS-5 (2020-21), among children below five years in Madhya Pradesh, 33.0% were underweight, 35.7% were stunted and 19.0% were wasted. Thus, several nutrition indicators have improved compared with NFHS-3, although malnutrition remains an important challenge.