₹509 cr spent on ‘Malnutrition Free Gujarat’, yet 5.40 lakh children malnourished

The ‘Malnutrition-Free Gujarat’ campaign has come under scrutiny after the state government’s own data exposed flaws in the initiative. Despite the claims of state’s prosperity, the number of malnourished children in Gujarat remains alarmingly high.

According to the information presented by the government in the Legislative Assembly, a total of ₹509 crore has been spent over the last two years to combat malnutrition, but as of now, 5.40 lakh children in Gujarat are still malnourished.

The government has acknowledged that as of January 2025, the total number of malnourished children in Gujarat is 5,40,303. The government also mentioned that ₹264 crore was spent in 2023-24 and ₹245 crore is allocated for 2024-25 to combat malnutrition.

There are still thousands of families in the state who lack access to adequate nutrition. Pregnant women are often deprived of nutritious food, which contributes to rising malnutrition levels. Poverty also plays a significant role in the problem.

Despite numerous government programs like Mamta Abhiyan, Malnutrition Free Gujarat, Namo Shri Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, and Matru Vandana Yojana, malnutrition remains a persistent issue.

The government has been spending millions annually on providing nutritious food to pregnant women, yet the problem persists, especially in tribal and backward districts where the number of malnourished children is even higher.

While the government claims that there has been a reduction of 1.5 lakh malnourished children, the reality is that districts like Sabarkantha, Panchmahal, and Banaskantha still have high numbers of malnourished children. In fact, just ten Gujarat districts alone account for 1,73,514 malnourished children.