The GHI rightly identifies the high prevalence of “child under-nutrition as a major contribution to persistent hunger”. Although past policies targeted children under the age of five, it is pointed out that the “window of opportunity” to improve nutrition is much shorter — the period spanning (-)9 months to (+)24 months (from conception to the second birthday). This observation should lead to a reordering of public policies to ensure that this crucial period is not missed out. At a wider level, malnutrition is a consequence of multiple deprivations that call for action on related issues as well. For instance, a study earlier this year by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative showed that while 38.9 per cent of the poor in India were undernourished, they encountered severe deprivations in respect of other critical and related indicators as well: cooking fuel (52.2 per cent), drinking water (12 per cent) and sanitation (49.3 per cent). Malnutrition cannot be tackled effectively as a stand-alone issue and what is needed is a comprehensive policy that addresses multiple deprivations. In addition, there is evidence from Brazil that well-conceived conditional cash transfer schemes help in reducing hunger. India must fine-tune its social sector programmes, including the conditional cash transfer schemes, to wage a successful battle against hunger.