The ‘Gujarat Model’ – The Rising Malnutrition Amid Economic ‘Growth’

By Tej Bahadur Singh

March 22, 2025

Sheela, a tribal activist from Devgadh Mahila Sangathan, Anandi Foundation, has dedicated her life to fighting for the rights of Adivasi and Dalit communities in Gujarat’s Dahod district. Her work has revealed a grim reality that contrasts sharply with the glowing narratives of Gujarat’s economic success. She takes Newsreel Asia into the heart of this crisis, introducing us to Anita Naik, a mother in Lawaria Village. Anita, like many others, struggles to keep her children alive. One of her children tragically passed away, while her three-year-old son, Rajesh, was born blind and with severe physical deformities—a devastating consequence of the silent malnutrition crisis in the state.

Anita’s story reflects a much larger issue. While Gujarat is often celebrated as an example of economic growth and development, the reality for its most vulnerable communities tells a different story. The so-called “Gujarat Model” has been lauded as a blueprint for progress, yet it conceals glaring disparities and systemic failures. Behind the narrative of industrial growth, rising GDP and infrastructural advancements lies a malnutrition crisis of staggering proportions.

Between December 2022 and February 2024, the number of malnourished children in Gujarat surged by an alarming 355%—from about 125,000 to 570,000. Among these, 438,000 are underweight, and 131,000 suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), a condition that can lead to death if untreated.

The sharp rise endangers an entire generation of children, robbing them of their potential and threatening the future of the state. Despite the government allocating a substantial budget of 933 crore rupees annually to the Poshan Abhiyaan, a national nutrition program, malnutrition persists apparently due to systemic inefficiencies and poor implementation at the grassroots level.

The human cost is even more heart-breaking. In Gujarat, over 38% of the population is undernourished, with rural areas faring worse—44.55% of rural households face food insecurity and deprivation.

In tribal belts like Dahod, Narmada and Panchmahal, the situation is serious. Villages lack proper access to clean water, healthcare and nutritious food. Mothers, often anaemic themselves, struggle to provide for their children due to poverty, lack of education and insufficient government support.

It seems, the state’s economic growth has bypassed the marginalised communities, leaving them trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty and malnutrition. While the state boasts an industrial growth rate higher than the national average and attracts significant foreign investment, the fruits of this progress are not evenly distributed.

According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), Gujarat ranks among the worst-performing states in child nutrition indicators. Further, given that the 2023 Global Hunger Index ranked India 111th out of 125 countries, it can be inferred that states like Gujarat, which perform poorly on key nutrition indicators, contribute to India’s low ranking.

If the “Gujarat Model” is to be a true example for other states, it must ensure inclusive development—so that no child goes to bed hungry and no mother buries her child due to preventable malnutrition.