No death due to malnutrition reported by any state or UT: Smriti Irani

New Delhi: No death due to malnutrition has been reported by any state or Union Territory, the Women and Child Development Ministry said on Wednesday.

Responding to a question in Rajya Sabha, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said stunting has reduced from 38.4 per cent to 35.5 per cent, while wasting has reduced from 21 per cent to 19.3 per cent between 2015-16 and 2019-21.

Underweight prevalence has reduced from 35.8 per cent to 32.1 per cent and the mortality rate of children under five years of age has reduced from 49.7 per cent to 41.9 per cent between 2015-16 and 2019-21.

"No death due to malnutrition has been reported by any state or Union Territory," she said in a written response.

Responding to another question, Irani said following due procedures to introduce the bill, 'The Trafficking of Persons (Protection, Care and Rehabilitation) Bill' has been re-drafted with the intent that it is duly responsive to ground-level realities and requirements of the nation from all perspectives and is also appropriately complimentary to and juxtaposed and coordinated with India's existing legal framework and international obligations.