Gujarat Reports Malnutrition Among 2.5 Lakh Children; Data Released

New Delhi: The discussions held in the legislative assembly the other day revealed the true picture of the lives of the people of Gujarat. The discussion in the assembly focused on the issue of malnutrition among children in the state. The Ministry of Child Development has released a report stating that malnutrition among children in Gujarat is at its peak. According to the figures presented in the assembly, 257,269 children across 30 districts of the state are currently facing malnutrition. In the state, which has been ruled by the BJP for 28 consecutive years, 40 out of 100 children are suffering from malnutrition, with most of them coming from tribal communities.

However, Women and Child Development Minister Manika Vakil has stated that the opposition is citing incorrect figures and should be aware of the new data. According to the Poshan Tracker data for January 2026, only 11.4 percent of children are malnourished.

The issue of nutritional deficiency among children in Gujarat has sparked further discussion, with economic experts pointing out discrepancies between the Poshan Tracker data and the results from the National Family Health Survey. Experts have also highlighted that the two systems follow different methodologies, making a direct comparison impossible. The minister's justification, according to these experts, is flawed.

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) is a sample survey that focuses on households and includes accurate representations of the population. It also incorporates children who are not registered in anganwadis. On the other hand, the Poshan Tracker is a real-time monitoring system that only tracks the growth information of children who are registered in anganwadis. There is no evidence to suggest that the data in the Poshan Tracker is comprehensive.

Rather than calculating nutritional deficiency as a percentage, the Poshan Tracker provides data in three different categories based on children's age: stunted growth, general underweight, and sudden weight loss. The Poshan Tracker data for July 2025 is available in these categories.

Gujarat is listed among the most backward states in various nutritional indicators, which include all 36 states and union territories in the country. In Gujarat, 32.7 percent of children are facing growth retardation, placing the state 21st on this indicator. The state is ranked 31st for other indicators, with 7.2 percent of children facing sudden nutritional deficiencies and 18.4 percent suffering from general underweight.

Gujarat is not the only state struggling in this regard. Uttar Pradesh is in the worst position (48.8 percent), while Jharkhand, Assam, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh also have more than 42 percent of children facing similar issues. It is notable that several BJP-ruled states feature prominently in this list. Despite the grave situation, no action has been taken by the BJP government in Gujarat to address children's nutritional deficiencies. Children from tribal areas are among the most affected.

Although the government announces various schemes for child welfare, there are no proper measures to ensure these reach the deserving beneficiaries. It is claimed that the BJP government in Gujarat spends crores on nutritional distribution and healthcare protection. However, current data released by the Ministry of Women and Child Development clearly shows that all these efforts appear to be confined to mere rhetoric.