The lockdown due to COVID-19 not only left migrants out of work and starving, but also hit local tribals in Palghar hard. The tribals, many of them whom worked in brick kilns, are jobless and forced to fetch plants from the jungle to survive on. But the biggest impact has been on pregnant women, lactating mothers and children, as the Amrut Ahaar Yojana has stopped. The yojana was launched in November 2015 in 16 tribal-dominated districts of the state.

It aimed to improve the health of pregnant women, lactating mothers and children between seven months and 6 years of age. Such women in Washala village of Mokhada Taluka complained that aanganwadi workers have stopped distributing nutritious foods since May 22.