Children to Undergo Special Health Check-ups
Mumbai / Parbhani, November 2026: Minister of State for Health Meghna Sakore Bordikar has directed officials to conduct special health check-ups for the children of sugarcane-cutting workers across Maharashtra. For this purpose, the Health Department will implement a special campaign called ‘Bal Sanjeevani’, under which healthcare facilities will be made available to children at sugar factory premises and temporary settlements near sugarcane fields.
The crushing season has begun at sugar factories in various parts of the state. Sugarcane-cutting workers have left their homes for work, setting up temporary settlements near factories and in agricultural areas. A large number of these workers are accompanied by their minor children. Since these children are unlikely to have easy access to essential healthcare facilities at these locations, the special campaign is being undertaken, Minister of State Meghna Bordikar said.
Under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), every child accompanying migrant workers will undergo a health check-up. Screenings will cover malnutrition, anaemia, developmental delays, congenital disabilities and infectious diseases. Necessary treatment will also be provided based on the findings.
Health workers, community health personnel, ASHA volunteers, Anganwadi workers and the management of the concerned sugar factories will be involved in implementing the campaign.
Minister of State Bordikar has issued written instructions to the state's Principal Secretary to prepare a list of all sugar factories in Maharashtra, conduct surveys of workers' temporary settlements and ensure that children receive the necessary vaccinations at these locations.
Aim is to End Hardships Faced by Sugarcane-Cutting Workers: Minister Meghna Sakore Bordikar
Sugarcane-cutting workers often remain away from their homes for several days at a stretch. During this period, they find it difficult to take care of their children's health or visit health centres to get them vaccinated. Their demanding work schedules also leave them with little time to focus on these needs.
Taking these difficulties into account, the special campaign is being implemented. Minister of State Meghna Bordikar said the primary objective of the Bal Sanjeevani campaign is to prevent sugarcane-cutting workers from facing hardship when their children fall ill and to ensure that the children receive proper healthcare and grow up healthy.
