Maharashtra flags off pilot project to track migration, ensure state benefits reach migrant children

In June this year, the state government formed a special committee to study ways and means to address this issue and come up with a software-based solution. Headed by state ICDS Commissioner Rubal Agarwal, the committee also has members from UNICEF, IIT Mumbai, IIP and related government departments. Mittali Sethi, CEO of Chandrapur Zilla Parishad, is also part of the team.

The committee decided to have both an online and offline system to track migrants. Agarwal explained that the online system would have data about migrant children at the source. “Once the migration happens, the data would be accessed by officials at the destination, who would ensure benefits (special nutritious meals, eggs) would be continued for the children,” she said.

While such benefits are already available for children in their home districts, the project seeks to ensure that the children can access them even after they migrate to a different district.

Agarwal said for the next one month, officials from the four pilot districts of Palghar, Chandrapur, Amravati and Nandurbar will report on the progress of the project. The pilot programme will check all aspects of migration and come up with a workable solution for the whole state.