Rural child health in India: the persistent nature of deprivation, undernutrition and the 2030 Agenda

The 2030 Agenda for sustainable development was launched to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the globe. This paper is based on the primary database to assess the nutritional status of 5–10 years children and the incidence of deprivation in their households of a backward district (Purulia), India in the context of the first two SDGs, e.g., no poverty and zero hunger. We conclude that around 74% of children are undernourished. The proportion of households multidimensionally deprived is 90%, and the majority of them live on less than $1.25 a day. Results reveal that the BMI of mother and the education of father are the two most statistically significant predictors of child malnutrition. Purulia has long been witnessing the persistent nature of deprivation, which is well reflected in the child’s health. The district is quite far from the national targets in achieving the SDGs. Government, private sector, and civil society must come together to accelerate the progress of SDGs.