Gujarat: 34,280 malnourished kids

Friday’s session of Gujarat Assembly saw discussion on the issue of malnourishment in the state, where it emerged that 34,280 children do not receive adequate nutrition.

A question in the matter was asked by Congress MLA from Viramgam, Tejashree Patel, where she inquired about taluka-wise number of children suffering from malnutrition. The state government replied that there are 34,280 children in ten talukas of Ahmedabad who are emaciated.

At  , Daskroi has maximum number of such kids, followed by 4,840 in Viramgam and 4,510 in Dhandhuka. Barvala (879), Ranpur (1,423) and Mandal (1,559) are the talukas with least number of such children.

The government, in response to the question, also said that steps are being taken to improve health of the malnourished. It claimed that children between six months and three years of age are given supplementary nutrition of 125gm for 28 days a month. The severely affected are given 185 gm.

Also, Rs2 per child is allotted to each child for cooked food. Rs2.45 is alloted to young ones aged between three and six.