Mission Child-Friendly Maharashtra: 102 Gram Panchayats to Become ‘Child-Friendly’ in Pilot Phase

Mumbai, April 2026 : Under the Mission Child-Friendly Maharashtra initiative, a total of 102 Gram Panchayats—three from each of the 34 Zilla Parishads—will be developed as ‘Child-Friendly Gram Panchayats’ during the pilot phase. Regular children’s assemblies (Bal Sabhas) will be आयोजित in these villages, and through active Bal Panchayats, children will be given the right to voice their opinions on issues affecting their lives, informed Dr. Sanjay Puranik, Chairperson of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

On the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day, a strategic consultation meeting was recently held in Mumbai for the statewide implementation of the initiative. The meeting was jointly organized by the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, YASHADA, and UNICEF. Among those present were YASHADA Deputy Director General Mallinath Kalashetti, Core Faculty Dr. R. V. Pole, and UNICEF Social Policy Specialist Dr. Devika Deshmukh.

The meeting emphasized the need to place children at the center of governance. It highlighted that the foundation of progress for the state and the nation depends on children’s health, education, protection, and opportunities. Since child rights are multi-dimensional, the importance of effective coordination among departments such as education, health, nutrition, sanitation, women and child development, and rural development was stressed.

The initiative aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with special focus on eradicating poverty, ensuring nutrition security, providing quality education, promoting gender equality, and reducing inequalities. It also underlined the need to build the capacity of sarpanches and Gram Panchayat officials in child-friendly governance, local planning, and accountability.

Recognizing that child-related issues differ between rural and urban areas, the importance of implementing solutions tailored to local needs was also highlighted. Additionally, emphasis was placed on developing child-centric data systems, fostering innovation, ensuring responsive budgeting, and strengthening accountability mechanisms.