Maharashtra has reported 14,526 child deaths in seven districts over the past three years, from 2022-23 to 2024-25. The information was shared by Public Health Minister Prakashrao Abitkar during the winter assembly session on Friday, December 12. He provided the data in response to a question by BJP lawmaker Sneha Dubey.
The districts affected include Pune, Mumbai, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nagpur, Amravati, Akola, and Yavatmal. The number includes cases of severe malnutrition and child deaths in government facilities. As many as 138 baby deaths were recorded in the tribal-majority Palghar district.
According to data from the state health department as of November 2025, 2,666 children were suffering from moderate acute malnutrition. Another 203 children were recorded with severe acute malnutrition. The data also revealed that 0.23 per cent of children were underweight, while 1.48 per cent were moderately underweight.
The Public Health Minister also talked about the Sample Registration System, and as per the system, Maharashtra’s expected neonatal mortality rate is 11 per 1,000 live births. This rate is lower than the national average of 23, according to the Sample Registration System 2022 released by the Registrar General of India.
To reduce malnutrition, the state government has implemented several initiatives under the Integrated Child Development Services programme. It includes regular health check-ups, the Amrut Aahar Yojana for pregnant women, targeted support for children with severe acute malnutrition, the Nutrition Campaign, the PM Matru Vandana Yojana, and the Suposhit Maharashtra initiative.
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