Poshan Tracker data shows persistent malnutrition among children
Central, eastern states worst affected
New Delhi: As of June 2025, 5.46% of children under five in India were found to be wasted (low weight for height), and 15.93% were underweight (low weight for age), according to the latest Poshan Tracker data.
The data, cited by The New Indian Express on Tuesday, showed that among children aged 0–6 years, the underweight prevalence stood at 16.50%.
The figures underscore significant regional disparities in child malnutrition across the country. Bihar leads with some of the highest rates, recording 20.98% underweight and 9.31% wasting. Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand also report high figures, with 24.82% and 19.13% of children respectively being underweight, while wasting in these states stands at 8.19% and 6.68%. Other states with high malnutrition burdens include Tripura, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh, where underweight rates range from 17% to nearly 20%.
The Union Territory of Lakshadweep stands out for its alarming statistics, with 22.54% of children underweight and 11.62% wasted, the highest in the country.
Despite the government’s efforts through initiatives like Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, the data reveals persistent challenges, especially in central and eastern states. However, there are notable success stories where effective interventions have led to improvements.
Goa emerged as a standout performer, with only 0.78% of children being wasted and 1.96% underweight. Other states, including Sikkim (1.95% wasting, 1.69% underweight), Manipur (0.67% wasting, 2.69% underweight), and Himachal Pradesh (2.41% wasting, 6.88% underweight), also recorded low malnutrition rates.
Southern states, while performing relatively better, still face challenges. Tamil Nadu stood out with a low 3.54% wasting and 6.29% underweight children, far below the national averages. Kerala also reported encouraging figures with 3.20% wasting, though the underweight figure was higher at 10.18%. Karnataka, on the other hand, showed moderate progress with 3.18% wasting, but underweight children accounted for 16.50%. Andhra Pradesh reported 4.97% wasting and 7.68% underweight, while Telangana had 5.93% wasting and 17% underweight.
The Poshan Tracker data represents an improvement from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019–21), which recorded 32.1% underweight and 19.3% wasting among children under five. However, the current data also highlights a critical gap: of the projected 16.1 crore children under six, only 8.61 crore are currently enrolled in Anganwadi services, underscoring the need for expanded coverage and deeper outreach to address the nutrition crisis.
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Karnataka Lokayukta to register case, probe Bowring wall collapse
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Lokayukta Justice B S Patil on Thursday took serious note of the compound wall collapse at Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital in the city that killed seven people, and announced registration of a case on its own while warning of action against officials found responsible.
The Lokayukta, who visited the site and conducted an inspection, expressed strong displeasure over the incident and questioned the inaction of authorities, even as police and emergency teams had earlier rushed to the spot to rescue victims trapped under the debris following heavy rain, strong winds and a hailstorm on Wednesday evening.
“I will now register a suo motu case. This is not just about this one incident — such incidents must not occur anywhere in the state or the city in the future,” Justice Patil told reporters.
Seven people, including a six-year-old girl, were killed and seven others injured when the compound wall collapsed as rain-battered victims had taken shelter near it, according to police. The victims included people from Kerala who were in the city on a study tour.
Calling for systemic accountability, the Lokayukta said, “Dilapidated buildings and weakened compound walls, especially in areas with public access, must first be identified. They must either be repaired, demolished, or rebuilt.”
He added that responsibility would be fixed on officials of the BBMP and the concerned departments.
Justice Patil said that hearings would be conducted and preventive action initiated, while also probing those responsible for it, how the incident could have been prevented, and why it was not prevented.
A Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO) team and a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team also inspected the site, while police cordoned off Kovil Street to facilitate the probe.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said the government had initiated measures following the rain-related incidents and stressed preparedness.
“Since last night we have initiated measures regarding the rains. When it rains heavily, we must be prepared, and we are working towards that,” he told reporters here.
On the wall collapse, Shivakumar said, “I will not directly blame any officials. It was an old wall, and trees had grown alongside it. Due to that pressure, it collapsed.”
The Deputy CM said instructions had been issued to identify such vulnerable structures and clear areas around them, including relocating street vendors.
Karnataka Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil said a technical assessment had been ordered.
“This is a very serious matter. Innocent people have been affected. We are issuing directions to the engineers to find out why this compound wall collapsed and to assess its structural strength,” he told reporters after inspecting the spot.
The Minister noted that the wall was ‘very old’ and required thorough examination to prevent recurrence.
Speaking to reporters, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge asked the Karnataka government to take precautions to ensure that incidents like the collapse of the Bengaluru government hospital compound wall, which caused loss of life, should not repeat.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference, Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad said the collapse raised questions about construction and maintenance practices.
“If a wall collapses within 25 years of its construction, it needs to be examined -- whether there was any technical issue, or if anything was altered inside, weakening it. All this can only come out through a technical investigation,” he said.
The Congress MLA also called for wider structural audits across the city, stating that all such structures, whether private or government, must be audited.
He urged citizens to support victims, saying it was a collective responsibility in times of crisis.
