Technological advances and impressive economic growth notwithstanding. India is still home to the largest number of hungry (approz. 300 million) and malnourished people (approx. 750 million) in the world. Most of them live in rural areas. Around 700 million people (nearly 70 percent of India,s population)Living in 638,365 villages are largely unskilled, illiterate, resource poor and devoid of the benefits of economic growth and technological advances.