Mahesh Tapase, chief spokesperson of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) on Tuesday demanded immediate answers and concrete action following the “shocking revelation” that over 12,000 children had died in the state in a single year.
“The admission by Public Health and Family Welfare Minister Prakash Abitkar regarding the tragic deaths of more than 12,000 children in Maharashtra between April last year and February 2025 is deeply disturbing and a grave indictment of the current government’s priorities. Minister Abitkar confirmed in a written reply to the Maharashtra Legislature that 12,438 children have died in the state during this period,” Tapase said in a release.
“Alarmingly, Kolhapur district alone reported 1,736 child deaths, including 11 newborns, during the same timeframe.”
Tapase further criticised the government for its lack of transparency and crucial information. “Despite these horrifying numbers, the minister’s reply failed to provide any age breakup or the specific causes of these deaths. This blatant disregard for accountability is unacceptable,” he said.
He said the NCP (SP) demanded to know what measures the Maharashtra government actively undertook to prevent “further loss of innocent young lives across the state”.
“Why has the government failed to disclose the age-wise breakup and the precise reasons behind each of these 12,438 child fatalities? The lives of our children are paramount. The Maharashtra government cannot simply acknowledge these deaths without providing a comprehensive explanation and demonstrating a robust plan of action to prevent such tragedies from recurring,” Tapase added.
“We urge the government to immediately release the age-wise breakdown of these deaths and the underlying causes, enabling a proper analysis and targeted interventions to safeguard our children’s future,” Tapase said.
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The NCP (SP) will continue to press the government for transparency, accountability, and effective measures to ensure the health and safety of every child in Maharashtra, Tapase said.
