MUMBAI: Even as Maharashtra performs strongly on economic indicators, gaps in women’s nutrition and early childhood development remain a concern, Chief Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal said at a state-level meeting in the city. Policymakers and sector experts outlined a roadmap to strengthen early childhood care and education (ECCE) systems.The conference, held at the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre, brought together senior officials, development sector leaders and grassroots practitioners working in the early childhood ecosystem.“While Maharashtra leads on many economic indicators, we must confront the reality of persistent gaps in women’s nutrition and early childhood development. Strengthening early identification and intervention, through better-trained frontline workers, streamlined systems and effective use of technology, is critical to improving outcomes. If we act in the first 1,000 days, we can significantly reduce developmental gaps and ensure every child has a fair start,” Aggarwal said.Minister for Women and Child Development Aditi Tatkare, in her keynote address, stressed the need to further strengthen ECCE systems, while Madhavi Sardeshmukh, who heads the state’s Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), highlighted the role of such platforms in aligning stakeholders and accelerating impact at scale.Discussions centred on early intervention and convergence, with a session on the “Golden 1,000 Days” emphasising the need for integrated action during a child’s formative years. Other sessions focused on translating policy into practice through state-level models and leveraging technology, including artificial intelligence, to strengthen anganwadi systems and improve service delivery.A key announcement was the launch of the Maharashtra Divyang Protocol, aimed at building more inclusive early childhood systems.The event, jointly organised by the Department of Women & Child Development and Rocket Learning, concluded with a discussion on aligning corporate social responsibility initiatives with government priorities. Participants underscored the need for sustained public-private collaboration.Officials, including district programme officers, child development project officers, supervisors and anganwadi workers from across Maharashtra, attended the meeting.
