Over 1.25 lakh malnourished children in Gujarat: Minister

Tribal-dominated district of Narmada accounted for the highest number of malnourished children (12,492), followed by Vadodara (11,322), Anand (9,615), Sabarkantha (7,270), Surat (6,967) and Bharuch (5,863), said Babariya in her written replies.

The minister added that all anganwadi centres were closed from March 16, 2020 till February 17, 2022 due to the Covid pandemic and hence the increase or decrease in these numbers in the past two years till December 31, 2022 cannot be provided.

Children in the age group of 3 to 6 years are given hot breakfast and lunch at anganwadis, while fruits are given twice a week, said Babariya.

For children in the age group of six months to three years, the department provides seven packets of Bal Shakti take-home ration each weighing 500 grams, 10 packets to “severely underweight” kids of 3 to 6 years, and four food packets to “underweight” children, she said.

The state government also provides double fortified salt, fortified oil as well as wheat flour to anganwadi children and their mothers to tackle malnutrition, said the minister.

Seeking information on dilapidated anganwadi centres in his district Narmada, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Dediapada Chaitarbhai Vasava said that in Narmada district alone, there are nearly 2,500 severely malnourished children out of 12,492 malnourished children.

In response to the starred question raised by Vasava, Babariya said that out of 952 anganwandi centres in Narmada district 146 anganwadi centres are in a dilapidated state.

“For these 146 anganwadi centres, 13 are running from anganwadi workers’ home, 19 in schools, four in panchayat buildings, 17 in rented building, five in government building and 88 are in donors buildings,” the minister stated.

(With PTI)