GANDHINAGAR, FEB 28
Despite taking concerted efforts to eradicate malnourishment, the number of malnourished children in the state has increased by 2,41,698 in nearly six months from July 9, 2019. The state government told the House on Thursday that there are 3,83,840 malnourished children in the state.
Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani said that the figure of 3.84 lakh has arrived from various questions asked by our MLAs whose reply was tabled on Thursday. In reply to similar questions on July 9, 2019, the government had stated in the assembly that there are 1.42 lakh malnourished children. Dhanani said that if the statements of the state government are compared, the number of malnourished children in the state grew by 2.42 lakh in six months.
The Socio-Economic Survey 2019-20 has revealed that Kuposhan Mukt Gujarat Maha-Abhiyan (Phase V) started from July 8, 2019, in the state. Under this programme 55.64 lakh children were screened by field officers. At the end of February 4, 2020, 37.21 lakh children have been screened by and 2.97 lakh children were identified as severely malnourished.
Dhanani said that in Adivasi areas, the government has failed to address the issue and people are dying because of hunger. Every third child who is born in the state dies before his/her first birthday, he said.
Neeta Hardikar, director, Anna Suraksha Adhikar Abhiyan, said that it appears that the Gujarat government was hiding figures and now with the national survey pointing out that number of malnourished children was more in Gujarat, it has realized that it cannot hide the figures. She said that the government has been claiming that the malnourished children were more because of migrant population. “Does it mean that the migrant population was only in Adivasi areas,” she questioned.
Replying to another question of Deodar MLA Shivbhai Bhuriya, the government claimed that the government spends Rs 8 for malnourished children between 6 months and 72 months, while for severely malnourished children, the government spends Rs 12 per children.
