42.5 per cent children under 5 yrs of age underweight: NFHS

New Delhi, Aug 12 (PTI) As per the National Family Health
Survey (NFHS) conducted in 2005-06, 42.5 per cent children
under five years of age are underweight, while 35.6 per cent
of women in the age group of 15-49 years suffer from Chronic
Energy Deficiency (CED), the Indian government said on Friday.
"As per the NFHS-3 in 2005-06, in India 42.5 per cent
children under five years are underweight. Prevalence of
underweight in urban, rural and among Scheduled Tribe is 32.7,
45.6 and 54.5 per cent respectively," Minister of State of
Women and Child Development Krishna Tirath told the Lok Sabha
(lower house of Parliament).
Replying to a question on Anganwadi, Tirath said,
"Government has approved 14 lakh Anganwadi Centres (AWC)
including Mini-AWCs and 20,000 on demand basis. There are
12.66 lakh AWC and Mini-AWC functioning in the country as on
June 30, 2011."