The Indian government Saturday said over 100 rallies were carried out to raise public awareness about under-nutrition across the country.

The rallies were organized by the federal ministry of rural development and nearly 5,000 women were part of the campaign - freedom from malnutrition - to spread the word.

With an aim to create awareness on under-nutrition, anemia and low birth babies amongst rural women, more than 5,000 female trainees organized more than 100 rallies across the country, according to the ministry.

"Women candidates marched and cycled across villages holding informative placards and posters as part of the rallies," the ministry said.

Various stakeholders, state rural livelihood missions, rural self employment training institutes, project implementation agencies and programme beneficiaries also rallied to reinforce the importance of nutrition amongst rural women.

Last year, the Indian government's women and child development ministry said 3.3 million children in India were malnourished and more than half of them fall in the severely malnourished category with Maharashtra, Bihar and Gujarat topping the list.

Officials said that funds, which were released under the national nutrition mission, or locally called Poshan Abhiyaan programme, stood severely under-utilized.