Gandhinagar, 5 October 2013

Gujarat Health and Finance Minister Nitinbhai Patel today expressed indignation for creating illusive picture that children’s and women’s in the state are suffering from malnutrition by false interpretation of CAG report. He said that CAG report in its observation shows error in implementation of ICDS and the state government is taking positive steps in this direction. The state government is eager and committed to take effective actions. As a result ratio of malnourished children has decreased to 25.09% in 2013 from 63.4% in 2007. During last one year ratio of malnourished children has decreased 10.98% and 3,95,156 children’s were made free from the problem of malnutrition. In the earlier report CAG has mentioned that during 2007 to 2012 ratio of malnourished children’s has come by 39%.

But some anti-Gujarat elements are spreading lies. Gujarat Government has already started battle against malnutrition by involving people but it is deliberately overlooked, he said.

Mr. Patel further said that figures of ICDS itself prove that national average of malnourished children was 36% on March 2013 against 27% of Gujarat. Percentage of malnourished children’s in Congress rule states like Rajasthan is 32.69%, 38.74% in Andhara Pradesh and 33.65% in Haryana. Compare to these Gujarat has displayed better.

Mr. Patel said that some anti-Gujarat elements have made false interpretation of CAG report and spreading lies. He said that official report on malnutrition was published in 2007 and the Gujarat was the first state to start mission to abolish malnutrition problem by distributing milk to poor children and providing Sukhadi to pregnant woman. The government has made provision of Rs. 2175.52 crore for Sankalit Balvikas Yojna. State government has also launched “Mission Balam Sukham” and we are getting positive results from it, he added.