Parliament Question: Strengthening women and child welfare programmes in Maharashtra

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 639 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026 STRENGTHENING WOMEN AND CHILD WELFARE PROGRAMMES IN MAHARASHTRA 639. DR. MEDHA VISHRAM KULKARNI Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state: (a) whether Government has reviewed maternal and infant mortality in tribal districts of the State of Maharashtra and the outcomes of recent health campaigns in Palghar; (b) if so, the details of healthcare infrastructure enhancements; (c) whether a review of the Women and Child Development Department emphasised reduction of dropout rates and vulnerable child support; and (d) if so, the actions taken thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI ANNPURNA DEVI) (a) & (b): Office of The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India conducts Sample Registration System (SRS) with an objective of providing reliable annual estimates of birth rate, death rate, infant mortality rate and various other fertility and mortality indicators. As per the Sample Registration System (SRS), Special Bulletin on Maternal Mortality 2021-23, the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) of the country is 88 and of the State of Maharashtra is 36 per one lakh live births. As per Sample Registration System Statistical Report 2023, the data of Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) reveals that the overall IMR in India has decreased from 42.3 in 2011-13 to 26.3 in 2021-23 showing a decline of 37.8%. while in the State of Maharashtra, IMR is 14 in 2021-23 which was 24.5 in 2011-13. The district-wise MMR and IMR are not available in the SRS. Under National Health Mission (NHM), the Government of India provides support for the implementation of various schemes/initiatives to improve maternal health outcomes among all the pregnant women and lactating mothers across the country, including the tribal districts, key amongst which are as follows:• Functionalization of First Referral Units (FRUs) by ensuring manpower, blood storage units, referral linkages to improve the access to quality of care for pregnant women • Outreach camps are provisioned for improving the reach of health care services especially in tribal and hard to reach areas. This platform is used to increase the awareness for the Maternal & Child health services, community mobilization as well as to track high-risk pregnancies. • Birth Waiting Homes (BWH) are established in remote and tribal areas to promote institutional delivery and improve access to healthcare facilities. • Nutrition Rehabilitation Centers (NRCs) are set up at public health facilities to provide in-patient medical and nutritional care to children under 5 years suffering from Moderate and Severe Acute Malnourishment with medical complications with special focus on improving the skills of mothers and caregivers on timely, adequate and appropriate feeding for children. • Lactation Management Centres: Lactation Management Units (LMU) are facilities established to provide lactation support to mothers and to facilitate access to mother’s own milk or donor human milk for feeding of sick, preterm and low birth weight babies admitted in Neonatal Intensive Care Units and Special Newborn Care Units. (c) & (d): Samagra Shiksha, an integrated scheme for school education is being implemented since 2018-19 covering the entire gamut from pre-school to class XII. The scheme has also been aligned with the recommendations of NEP 2020 to ensure that all children have access to quality education with an equitable and inclusive classroom environment which should take care of their diverse background, multilingual needs, different academic abilities and make them active participants in the learning process. In order to reduce dropout, the scheme includes the provision of opening and strengthening of new schools up to senior secondary level; construction of school buildings and additional classrooms; setting up, up-gradation and running of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas; setting up of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Avasiya Vidyalayas; free uniforms, free text books, transport allowance and undertaking enrolment & retention drives, construction of hostels under Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan for unsaturated ST population, reimbursement under RTE Act, various qualitative components, strengthening of teacher education and strengthening of DIETs/BRCs/CRCs, provision of ICT and digital interventions. Government has also taken initiatives such as Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK) and implementation of Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) ID to monitor the drop out and other education indicators.In addition, support is provided through special training for age-appropriate admission of Out of School Children and for the training of residential as well as non-residential older children. The provision of seasonal hostels or residential camps, special training centres at worksites, transport/ escort facility are also available for bringing Out of School Children to the formal schooling structure. Financial assistance upto ₹ 2000 per annum is being provided for Out of School Children of age group of 16-19 years, belonging to socio economically disadvantaged groups, for completing their education through NIOS/SIOS, for accessing course materials and certification. Under the student-oriented component for the children with special needs of the scheme, financial assistance is provided for identification and assessment of children with special needs, aids and appliances, braille kits and books, appropriate teaching learning material and stipend to girl students with disability etc. All States/UTs including Maharashtra have been directed to reduce the dropout rate and number of Out of School Children (OoSC). States/UTs have also been requested to participate in “Bringing Children Back to School” campaign with the full and active engagement of School Management Committees and community involvement through Panchayati Raj Institutions. *******