Madhya Pradesh's malnutrition crisis deepens despite increased budgetary allocations
Madhya Pradesh is struggling with a worsening child malnutrition crisis—its rate is now 7.79%, higher than India's average.
Even though budgets and government programs have grown, things aren't improving.
Admissions of tribal children to Nutrition Rehabilitation Centers (NRCs) nearly doubled from about 11,500 in 2020-21 to over 20,700 in 2024-25.
Malnutrition-linked deaths on the rise
Child deaths linked to malnutrition are rising; just this August, a 15-month-old girl named Divyanshi died weighing only 3.7kg and with dangerously low hemoglobin.
Anemia affects more than half of local women too, making things even tougher for newborns.
₹4,895 crore nutrition budget for 2025-26
Despite a hefty ₹4,895 crore nutrition budget for 2025-26, each child gets just ₹8-₹12 daily—widely called out as not enough.
Plus, an ₹858 crore food scam flagged by auditors hasn't been resolved yet.
Corruption and patchy Anganwadi services mean help often doesn't reach those who need it most.
State's efforts to tackle malnutrition
The state has boosted budgets and launched new schemes to fight malnutrition—but so far, these efforts haven't slowed the surge in NRC admissions or made a real dent in the crisis.