In a dubious distinction, Rajasthan has topped the list of states with kids being born underweight. In about nine states in northern, central and eastern India, where nearly half of the country’s population lives, a quarter of the children born in 2010-11 were underweight, that is, less than 2.5kg in weight at the time of birth.

In Rajasthan, the proportion was as high as 39% with Jharkhand not far behind with about 36% children born underweight. In Madhya Pradesh and UP about 28% of newborns are underweight while in Bihar and Odisha about 22% fall in this category.