According to NFHS-5 National Family Health Survey-5 four of India’s top ten most malnourished districts are in Gujarat — this is the true picture of Gujarat’s “development model.”
At a press conference held at GPCC Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee, Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan former cabinet minister and senior leader Jaynarayan Vyas said that Gujarat government, which boasts about its so-called “development model,” has been exposed by alarming data. Based on NFHS-5 and related analyses, four out of India’s top 10 severely malnourished districts are from Gujarat.
Top 10 Districts in India with Severe Malnutrition (SAM — Severe Acute Malnutrition):
- Dang (Gujarat) – 22.2% SAM
- Panchmahal (Gujarat) – 19.7% SAM
- Tapi (Gujarat) – 9.6% to 17.1% SAM (Moderate)
- Narmada (Gujarat) – Very high stunting at 50.7%
- Chandrapur (Maharashtra) – 21.8% SAM
- Nagpur (Maharashtra) – 20% SAM
- Karimganj (Assam) – 30.5% SAM
- Sheohar (Bihar) – 21.4% SAM
- Saraikela Kharsawan (Jharkhand) – 23% SAM
- Aurangabad (Bihar) – 18.5% SAM
Gujarat districts with high rates of malnutrition (Wasting and Stunting):
- Dang – 40.9% wasting
- Panchmahal – 35.7% wasting
- Tapi – 36.6% wasting
- Sabarkantha
- Dahod
- Kheda
- Amreli
- Bharuch
- Mehsana
- Aurangabad (Bihar)
Gujarat’s Malnutrition Crisis
According to the NITI Aayog’s Sustainable Development Report 2023–24, nearly 40% of children under five in Gujarat are either underweight or stunted (short for their age). About 38% of Gujarat’s total population is malnourished, and the problem is especially severe among women and children.
- Stunting (low height-for-age): 25.1%
- Underweight children: 39.7%
- Gujarat ranks 4th in India for stunting.
NFHS-5 Indicators for Gujarat
- Stunting (low height-for-age): 35.5%
- Wasting (low weight-for-height): 19.3%
- Underweight (low weight-for-age): 32.1%
- Anaemia among children (6–59 months): 67.1%
- Anaemia among non-pregnant women (15–49 years): 57.2%
- Anaemia among pregnant women (15–49 years): 52.2%
- Severe wasting cases: 10.6%
Malnutrition is particularly widespread in tribal regions of Gujarat. These statistics reveal that malnutrition remains a fundamental public health crisis in the state. Sharp income inequality and regional developmental imbalance are seen as major causes. Despite Gujarat’s image as a “developed state,” these indicators challenge its standing on the Human Development Index (HDI).
True development should ensure public welfare, law and order, access to health and sanitation, and the absence of malnutrition. However, in Gujarat, the top malnourished districts — Dang, Panchmahal, Tapi, and Narmada — are all tribal-dominated areas, showing that the benefits of development have not reached the poor and marginalized communities.
Top Gujarat Districts with Severe Malnutrition (NFHS-5 data):
- Narmada – 12,492 malnourished children
- Vadodara – 11,322
- Anand – 9,615
- Sabarkantha – 7,270
- Surat – 6,967
- Bharuch – 5,863
Other districts like Dang, Panchmahal, Tapi, and Dahod also rank among the worst due to:
- Dang: Highest wasting rate in India (low weight-for-age)
- Panchmahal: Among India’s top 10 severely malnourished districts
- Tapi: Among India’s top 10 severely malnourished districts
- Dahod: High rate of stunting (low height-for-age)
Two Major Conclusions:
- The claim that Gujarat is a highly developed and prosperous state is not supported by NFHS-5 data, exposing the hollowness of the so-called “Gujarat Model.”
- Implementation of schemes like the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and the Mid-Day Meal program has been ineffective, especially in tribal and backward districts. Even in developed regions, malnutrition persists among children, adolescent girls, pregnant, and lactating women due to staff shortages and lack of infrastructure in Anganwadi centers.
Thus, the Gujarat government’s claims of development are largely limited to wealthy and urban regions, while tribal and rural populations remain neglected.
NFHS-5 data proves that among India’s top 10 districts with widespread malnutrition among children and pregnant women, four are from Gujarat, clearly showing that the Gujarat Model has failed to deliver inclusive and balanced growth.
The press conference at Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan was attended by Hemang Raval, Media Coordinator and Spokesperson of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee, and Mukesh Panchal, Debate Panelist.
