What is a ‘famine’? Which states in India are affected by famines?
Answer:
A famine is characterised by widespread deaths due to starvation and epidemics caused by forced
use of contaminated water or decaying food and loss of body resistance due to weakening from
starvation:
- The most devastating famine that occurred in India was the Famine of Bengal in 1943. This famine killed 30 lakh people in the province of Bengal.
- Even today, there are places like Kalahandi and Kashipur in Odisha, where famine-like conditions have been existing for many years and starvation deaths have also been reported.
- Starvation deaths are also reported in Baran district of Rajasthan, Palamau district of Jharkhand and many other remote areas during the recent years.