A state in India is grappling with a significant health issue: 68.12% of its children are affected by stunted growth. According to the June 2025 Poshan Tracker data, this condition, which severely impacts children’s development, can be attributed to chronic or recurrent malnutrition. Analysis of various documents presented in Parliament reveals that children in 63 districts across 13 states and union territories are most severely affected.
Based on the June 2025 Poshan Tracker data from the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the districts with the highest levels of stunting include Nandurbar in Maharashtra (68.12 percent), Paschim Singhbhum in Jharkhand (66.27 percent), Chitrakoot in Uttar Pradesh (59.48 percent), Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh (58.20 percent), and Bongaigaon in Assam (54.76 percent).
Uttar Pradesh tops the list, with stunted growth levels exceeding 50 percent in 34 districts, followed by Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Assam. In response to several questions, the Ministry of Women and Child Development stated that 35.91 percent of 8.19 crore children aged 0-6 years in Anganwadis are affected by stunting, while 16.5 percent are underweight. The prevalence of stunting is even higher among children under five years of age, at 37.07 percent.
Nandurbar in Maharashtra recorded the highest prevalence of underweight children at 48.26 percent, followed by districts like Dhar (42 percent), Khargone (36.19 percent), and Barwani (36.04 percent) in Madhya Pradesh, Dang (37.20 percent), Dungarpur (35.04 percent) in Gujarat, and Sukma (34.76 percent) in Chhattisgarh.
Chronic malnutrition, including long-term or recurring undernutrition, is identified as a primary cause of stunted growth in children, according to the June 2025 data from the Ministry of Women and Child Development. While the average rate of stunting in India has decreased from 42.4% to 29.4% over 19 years, the condition remains a significant concern in some districts. This data is available on the Poshan Tracker maintained by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, which records information on children’s nutrition and development.
