Reports from the Sinapali block reveal disturbing caste-based discrimination at local Anganwadi centres.
Villagers have refused to send children or accept nutrition services after Dalit women were appointed as assistants and cooks.
At Palsapada Anganwadi, Mamata Bag joined as a cook on 15 October 2025. Since then, parents have stopped sending children to the centre, and pregnant women have refused to accept food distributed by her. Despite repeated interventions by the Block Development Officer and Child Development Project Officer, the deadlock continues. Mamata stated that she faces opposition solely because of her caste.
Similarly, in the Rajnagar block of the Kendrapara district, Sharmistha Sethi was appointed as an assistant on 20 November 2025. Villagers boycotted the centre, leaving it locked for 82 days. Children, pregnant women, and adolescent girls have been denied supplementary nutrition since December.
Officials confirmed that multiple attempts to resolve the issue through dialogue have failed. District Child Development Officer S. Geeta said senior officers will again visit the villages under the leadership of the Sub-Collector to find a solution. She admitted that despite repeated efforts, caste prejudice has blocked the functioning of the centres.
Local activists argue that such discrimination undermines government schemes designed to provide nutrition and early education. They demand immediate administrative action to restore services and protect the rights of Dalit women appointed under official recruitment processes.
