Gujarat sees marginal rise in underweight children: Rajya Sabha data

Gandhinagar: Figures provided by the Union government in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday said there had been a marginal increase in the percentage of children below five who are stunted and underweight.

Data provided by the government quoting the National Family Health Survey (NHFS) said that under NFHS-4 (2015-16), the number of stunted children in the state was 38.5 per cent, which increased marginally to 39 per cent in NFHS-5 (2019-21).

Similarly, the percentage of underweight children also rose marginally from 39.3 per cent in NFHS-4 to 39.7 per cent in NFHS-5. MP Laxmikant Bajpayee asked whether the government is working on any plan to ascertain the number of women and children facing starvation. He also sought whether the government plans to include millets as a nutritional component in the rationing scheme.

In her written reply, Smriti Irani, Union minister for women and child development, said no state or union territory had reported data on hunger-related deaths. She added the Union government has been ensuring access to foodgrains at subsidized rates. Under the new integrated food security scheme launched on January 1 this year, free foodgrains will be provided to 81.35 crore beneficiaries.