See Full Document Text
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 4310
TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.04.2026
RISING MALNUTRITION IN WEST BENGAL
4310. SHRI SAMIK BHATTACHARYA:
Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) data indicates that malnutrition
indicators—namely stunting, wasting, and underweight—have worsened or remained
above 30 per cent in several districts of West Bengal, with at least 13 districts showing
an increasing trend in one or more child growth failure indices as compared to NFHS-
4;
(b) the district-wise prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight in West Bengal as
per NFHS-5, and the districts identified as high-priority intervention zones;
(c) the specific district-level action plans prepared under Mission POSHAN 2.0 for these
high-burden districts; and
(d) the amount of Central funds released for targeted nutrition interventions and the status
of their utilisation?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)
(a) to (d): The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) is a large-scale, multi-round survey
conducted in a representative sample of households throughout India. It provides report on
fertility, infant and child mortality, the practice of family planning, maternal and child health,
reproductive health, nutrition, anaemia, utilization and quality of health and family planning
services. As per NFHS-4 and NFHS -5, the district-wise prevalence of stunting, wasting, and
underweight among children in West Bengal is placed at Annexure I.
To strengthen nutrition and address the challenge of malnutrition in the country including high
burdened districts of West Bengal, the Ministry of Women and Child Development is
implementing Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0. The Mission includes
beneficiaries; Children under 6 years of age, pregnant women, lactating mothers and adolescent
girls (age 14-18 years in Aspirational Districts and North-Eastern region). The Mission is
being implemented in the whole country including all districts of West Bengal. The
responsibility of implementation of the Mission lies with States and UTs.Under Mission Poshan 2.0 a new strategy has been made for reduction in malnutrition and for
improved health, wellness and immunity through activities like community engagement,
outreach, behavioural change and advocacy. It focuses on Maternal Nutrition, Infant and
Young Child Feeding practices, treatment of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM)/ Moderate
Acute Malnutrition (MAM) and wellness through AYUSH practices to reduce prevalence of
wasting, stunting, anaemia and underweight.
Further, Supplementary Nutrition is provided to Children (6 months to 6 years), Pregnant
Women, Lactating Mothers and Adolescent Girls in accordance with the nutrition norms
contained in Schedule-II of the National Food Security Act, 2013. These norms have been
revised in January 2023. The old norms were largely calorie-specific; however, the revised
norms are more comprehensive and balanced in terms of both quantity and quality of
supplementary nutrition based on the principles of diet diversity.
Also, Ministry of Women & Child Development and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
have jointly released the Protocol for Management of Malnutrition in Children to prevent and
treat severely acute malnutrition in children.
To encourage diet-diversity and consumption of wholesome local produce, Poshan Vatikas
have been developed at Anganwadi Centres (AWCs). Poshan Vatikas helps to meet the
important dietary diversity gap by providing different fruits, nuts, herbs, medicinal plants and
vegetables round the year.
Under this Mission, one of the major activities undertaken is Community Mobilization and
Awareness Advocacy to educate people on nutritional aspects as adoption of good nutrition
habit requires sustained efforts for behavioural change. State and UTs including high burdened
districts of West Bengal are conducting and reporting regular sensitisation activities under Jan
Andolans during Poshan Maah and Poshan Pakhwada celebrated in the months of September
and March-April respectively. Community Based Events (CBEs) have served as a significant
strategy in changing nutritional practices and all Anganwadi workers are required to conduct
two Community Based Events every month. A total of 9.8 crore CBEs have been conducted
from 2018 to February 2026 and more than 150 crore Jan Andolan activities have been
conducted since 2018 through 15 Jan Andolans.
During financial year 2025-26, an amount of Rs 1,029.28 Crore was released to the State
Government of West Bengal, under the Mission. Details are as below:
S.No Financial Year F unds Released (in Crore) Funds Utilized* (In Crore)
1 2022-23 1227.59 1455.89
2 2023-24 1237.56 1522.40
3 2024-25 1513.80 -
4 2025-26 1,029.28 -
*****Annexure I
S. Districts of Stunted Children Wasted Children Underweight Children
No West Bengal under 5 (height for age) under 5 under 5 (weight for age)
(%) (weight for (%)
height) (%)
NFHS-4 NFHS-5 NFHS-4 NFHS-5 NFHS-4 NFHS-5
1 Bankura 34.0 30.3 27.0 26.0 39.8 38.8
2 Birbhum 40.5 37.0 29.5 25.5 43.1 41.8
3 Dakshin
Dinajpur 32.9 31.9 17.1 22.8 28.1 30.2
4 Darjeeling 29.1 34.3 11.3 20.6 25.7 31.6
5 Haora 34.6 27.5 14.6 21.3 28.4 27.3
6 Hugli 30.1 28.9 18.5 20.0 28.7 33.4
7 Jalpaiguri 31.2 28.9 17.7 18.3 24.6 25.4
8 Koch Bihar 32.9 28.7 20.1 16.8 29.3 22.5
9 Kolkata 24.2 29.6 17.4 29.3 19.6 32.9
10 Maldah 37.8 40.5 22.8 20.0 37.2 35.3
11 Murshidabad 41.9 39.8 17.5 16.3 34.6 32.4
12 Nadia 23.3 26.1 10.7 17.6 19.3 25.1
13 North 24
Parganas 23.8 32.4 13.6 13.3 18.3 23.6
14 Paschim
Barddhaman 0.0 39.7 0.0 25.5 0.0 41.0
15 Paschim
Medinipur 29.4 31.1 28.0 30.3 40.3 40.0
16 Purba
Barddhaman 0.0 32.7 0.0 21.1 0.0 31.6
17 Purba
Medinipur 29.9 25.8 24.5 15.5 32.8 30.6
18 Puruliya 45.5 36.9 34.6 29.4 58.2 46.3
19 South 24
Parganas 27.3 36.7 20.1 21.2 27.8 32.2
20 Uttar Dinajpur 40.4 44.8 14.0 16.0 34.7 32.0
*****