Out of 5.6 crore kids, 43 lakh found malnourished by Poshan Tracker in February: WCD

About 43 lakh or 7.7 per cent children were found malnourished out of approximately 5.6 crore children measured by 'Poshan Tracker' in the month of February, the Ministry of Women and Child Development said on Friday.

Responding to a question in Lok Sabha, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said Meghalaya reported the highest number of stunting at 46.5 per cent, while Puducherry recorded the lowest at 20 per cent. Maharashtra reported the highest level of wasted children at 25.6 per cent, while Chandigarh reported the minimum at 8.4 per cent, according to the data shared in a written response. Child wasting refers to a child who is too thin for his or her height and is the result of recent rapid weight loss or the failure to gain weight. A child who is moderately or severely wasted has an increased risk of death, but treatment is possible.

The data also said that Bihar reported the maximum percentage of children who are underweight, while Mizoram reported the minimum percentage at 12.7 per cent. Irani noted that under Poshan Tracker -- the ICT application for monitoring service delivery under Mission Poshan 2.0 -- out of approximately 5.6 crore children measured in the month of February 2023, the percentage of malnourished (moderate and severe) children is 7.7 per cent. The 7.7 per cent of malnourished children comes to 43,12,000.

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