As India figures among leading countries having a significant number of malnourished children, top international aid agencies including World Bank, UNICEF and USAID came forward Wednesday to support the Government in improving child nutrition in the country.
Coming on a common platform for the first time, the agencies underlined the need for consistent effort to save millions of infants and mothers suffering from malnutrition.
Address the function 'Unite for Nutrition', UNICEF's India representative Karin Hulshof said the Government must put in its best effort to "save its most precious asset."
"Malnutrition remains a major threat to the survival, growth and development of India's boys and girls," she said.
Britain's Minister for International Development Douglas Alexander also spoke at the event; applauding the commitment of the Government of India in addressing the problem but at the same time highlighted the need for a stronger effort to achieve nutrition security.
"While India is undoubtedly a rising global power, we must not forget that it still faces huge development challenge -- for example 58 percent of children under five years age are underweight in Bihar," Alexander, who just visited the state, said.
USAID mission director George Deikun said a strong partnership was needed to address the "complex" challenge.
The event, attended by senior government officials, civil society and nutrition experts, was organised jointly by Department for International Development (DFID), UNICEF, USAID and the World Bank.
DFID is part of UK Government that manages Britain's aid to poor countries.
Representatives of all the aid agencies said they will extend total support to India in overcoming the problem.