 "Gujarat faces alarming malnutrition rate despite Rs 2,879 cr central aid")
The Centre has allocated a substantial Rs 2,879.3 crore over the past three years under the Poshan Abhiyaan to combat malnutrition in Gujarat, yet the state continues to struggle with severe health challenges, reported The New Indian Express.
In a detailed report presented to the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, the Ministry of Women and Child Development outlined the growing funding allocated under the Poshan Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission). Responding to a query by MP Dr V Sivadasan, the ministry revealed that Gujarat received progressively higher allocations over the past three years: Rs 839.86 crore in 2021-22, Rs 912.64 crore in 2022-23, and Rs 1,126.8 crore in 2023-24.
Despite the rising financial support, the number of people benefiting from the Poshan Abhiyaan has been steadily declining. From 4.287 million beneficiaries in 2021-22, the program reached only 4.047 million in 2022-23, and by March 2024, that number had dropped further to 3.782 million.
Gujarat battles malnutrition
As of October 2024, the state's health statistics paint a worrying picture: 40.8 per cent of children aged 0-5 years are stunted, 7.8 per cent are wasted, and 21 per cent are underweight.
The government data also revealed some progress in addressing child malnutrition. The percentage of stunted children has decreased from 53.6 per cent in 2022 to 40.8 per cent in 2024, while the percentage of underweight children has decreased from 23.1 per cent to 21 per cent.
However, these improvements fall short of the scale needed to eradicate malnutrition across the country.
Even more alarming is that 65 per cent of women aged 15-49 are suffering from anaemia, a persistent health crisis that shows little sign of improvement despite the government’s financial investments.