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Maharashtra Public Health Minister Prakash Abitkar on Friday (December 12, 2025) stated that the 14,526 children under the age bracket of zero to five died in seven districts of the State over the past three years.
In a written reply to BJP legislator Sneha Dubey’s question, Mr. Abitkar said, “The 14,526 child deaths have occurred in the age group of zero to five years, while 303 SAM children and 2663 MAM children recorded in the state under the age of 6 months and 6 years have died in the last six months.”
Sneha Dubey questioned whether it is true that despite the implementation of schemes worth crores of rupees to prevent child mortality in the state, the 49,080 children died from zero to five in the districts of Pune, Mumbai, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nagpur, Amravati, Akola and Yavatmal in the last three years?
To which, Mr. Abitkar replied, “This is partially true.” He agreed that in the tribal areas of the state, especially Palghar district, as many as 138 children died between the ages of 0 and 6 in the last six months due to serious illness and a few deaths due to malnutrition. He also agreed to legislators’ question whether 269 children are suffering from serious diseases, 68 children are Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and 835 children are Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM).
Giving the numbers, Mr Abitkar mentioned that we have achieved the target of reducing the neonatal mortality rate (NMR) set by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030. “According to the Sample Registration System (SRS) 2023 Survey published in September 2025, the NMR of the state of Maharashtra was 11 per 1000 births, achieving the SDG target,” Mr Abitkar added.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals have set the target of reducing the NMR to less than 12 per 1000 births.
The legislators also asked whether the Dr. Abhay Bang committee recommendations were implemented to reduce the infant mortality rate (IMR) and maternal mortality rate (MMR) to zero, and whether the government inquired about the progress. To which he listed the schemes that are currently implemented.
Schemes implemented
Mr Abitkar said, “Under the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS), to reduce malnutrition, several initiatives have been taken to provide supplementary nutritional food.”
He listed several schemes that are implemented to “curb” the issue under ICDS. These schemes include Abdul Kalam Amrit Aahar Yojana (Tribal Project), SAM Special Initiative for Children, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, Suposhit Mumbai, and Child’s First Golden 1000 Days’ Campaign.
Under the health department, the schemes like Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Matritva Abhiyan, Janani Suraksha Yojana, Janani Shishu Suraksha Program are implemented, while the health infrastructure and services has been provided for Special New Born Care Unit (SNCU), New Born Stabilization Unit (NBSU), Comprehensive Lactation Management Center (CLMC), Nutrition Rehabilitation Center (NRC), Home Newborn Care (HBNC), and Home Baby Care (HBYC), as per the public health department.
The other programmes include “Ma” – Mother Absolute Affection (MAA), Anaemia Free India Vitamin A Program, Stop Diarrhoea Campaign, Social Awareness and Action to Neutralise Pneumonia (SAANS), and National Child Health Program (NCHP).
Published – December 13, 2025 08:29 am IST
