Assam WCD Department, ITC Review Early Childhood Development Initiative Across 11 Districts

The first meeting of the Project Management Committee (PMC) constituted under the three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ITC Limited and the Women & Child Development (WCD) Department, Government of Assam, was held on June 23 to review progress and strengthen efforts towards early childhood development across 11 districts of the state.

The meeting was chaired by Gauri Shankar Sharma, Director of the Women and Child Development Department, and focused on advancing Early Childhood Care, Nutrition, Education and Development (ECCD) initiatives under the partnership.

The MoU aims to enhance the capacities of frontline workers, promote early childhood development interventions and improve outcomes for young children through a holistic and integrated approach.

The meeting was attended by Joint Directors overseeing ECCE, Health & Nutrition and Poshan Abhiyaan, along with District Social Welfare Officers and Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs) from the districts covered under the programme.

During the session, the Baseline Report and District Factsheets prepared under the initiative were officially released. The committee reviewed the baseline findings, assessed progress achieved so far and finalised the implementation plan for the 2026-27 financial year.

Addressing the meeting, Sharma appreciated the contribution of ITC Limited and its partner organisations, YouthInvest Foundation and Vikramshila, for their continued support and engagement in the programme.

He emphasized the need to expand the initiative to more districts in the future, in line with the department's broader objective of improving early childhood development indicators across Assam.

Officials said the programme is expected to play a key role in strengthening child nutrition, early learning, health awareness and developmental outcomes among young children, particularly in rural and underserved areas of the state.