| The NFHS-III data, for the last eight years, is a damning indictment of the government's failure to make any progress in checking anaemia and malnutrition. |
| It also highlights that the government has performed poorly in immunising children under the age of six despite having in place a national programme (Integrated Child Development Services) for nutrition for children in this age group. |
| The activists urged the Congress president to ensure universalisation of the scheme. Gandhi was learnt to have assured that she would look into their demand. She said the ICDS was her "priority" as well. |
| While the national NFHS-III report is yet to be released, the statewise data, which has been put on the website of NFHS, shows that the country remains where it was eight years ago with regards to the level of malnutrition and immunisation of children under the age of six. In the case of anaemia and some other indicators, the situation has worsened. |
| Jean Dreze said while average GDP growth had been 6 per cent in each of the last eight years, the percentage of malnourished children had remained where it was eight years ago. |
| According to the state report, the number of extremely undernourished children has gone up from 15 per cent to 17 per cent since 1998. |
| The report says that the number of undernourished children has gone down only marginally in the last eight years from 45.5 to 42.5 per cent, leaving half the children on the brink of deprivation. |
| Half the country's children continue to remain unimmunised, the levels having gone down only by 1 per cent from 52 per cent eight years ago. |
| Anaemia levels among children below three years increased from 73 per cent to 77 per cent. |
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