As told to Parliament (July 29, 2021): Some 927,606 children in India are ‘severely acute malnourished’

There were 927,606 severely acute malnourished children in India as on November 30, 2020, Smriti Zubin Irani, Union minister for women and child development told the Rajya Sabha. Some 398,359 of these were from Uttar Pradesh.  

Gender Gap

India ranked 140 among 156 countries according to the Global Gender Gap Report 2021 published by the World Economic Forum, with a score of 0.625 (out of 1), Irani told the Rajya Sabha. The country had ranked 112 among 153 countries according to the Global Gender Gap Report 2020, with a score 0.668, she added.

An amount of Rs 153,326.28 crore had been allocated for women and girls by 43 central ministries and Union territories (UTs) according to the Gender Budget Statement of the Union Ministry of Finance for 2021-22. 

The allocation for 2020-21 was Rs 143,461.72 crore from 39 ministries and UTs. There was, thus, an increase of Rs 9,864.56 crore during 2021-22 over 2020-21, along with an increase in the number of central ministries and UTs making dedicated allocations for women and girls, Irani added.

Gujarat dams 

A cluster of 61 water bodies from Gujarat was included in 2018-19 under the Repair, Renovation and Restoration of Water Bodies scheme of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana-Har Khet Ko Pani, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union minister for Jal Shakti told the Lok Sabha.

The estimated cost of the scheme was Rs 102.90 crore, with an irrigation potential creation target of 11,364 hectares. A central assistance of Rs 8.81 crore had been given to the scheme so far, Shekhawat said.

Satluj and Beas 

Some 351 polluted stretches were identified on 323 rivers in the latest report published by the Central Pollution Control Board in September 2018. These included one stretch each on the Satluj and Beas rivers as well as the Kali Bein, a tributary of the Beas, Shekhawat told the Lok Sabha.

Groundwater pollution 

Fluoride and nitrate concentration beyond permissible limits had been obeserved in the groundwater in Godda, Pakur and Sahibganj districts of Jharkhand, Shekhawat told the Lok Sabha. Arsenic concentration beyond permissible limits in groundwater had been observed in Sahibganj district and iron concentration beyond permissible limits in groundwater had been observed in the Deoghar district, he added.

Piped drinking water 

Some 32 million among 189 million rural households were reported to have tap water connections on August 15, 2019, when the Jal Jeevan Mission was announced. This number has now increased to 45 million, Prahlad Singh Patel, minister of state for Jal Shakti told the Lok Sabha.

Thus, 78 million among out of 191 million rural households across India currently now have tap water supply in their homes, he added. 

River conservation

The National River Conservation Plan has so far covered polluted stretches on 34 rivers in 77 towns spread over 16 states, Patel told the Lok Sabha.

Under the NamamiGange programme, a total of 346 projects, including 158 projects for sewage treatment of 4,948 million litres per day and a sewer network of 5,213 km have been sanctioned at a cost of Rs 30,235 crore, he added.

Solid waste

The Government of India provides central assistance of up to 35 per cent of the project cost as viability gap funding to states / UTs for the creation of solid waste processing facilities in urban local bodies, under the Swachh Bharat Mission.

The processing of municipal solid waste till date has increased to 68 per cent from 18 per cent in 2014, Kaushal Kishore, minister of state in the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs told the Lok Sabha.

We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.