Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida inaugurated a five-day orientation training programme for newly appointed Chairpersons and Members of Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, reaffirming Odisha’s commitment to child welfare.
Speaking at the inaugural session, Parida emphasised that children are the nation’s greatest asset and protecting their rights is a collective responsibility. She highlighted the State Government’s efforts to strengthen the child protection ecosystem through institutional capacity building, improved service delivery, enhanced monitoring, and regular training of frontline functionaries.
The programme, organised by the Odisha State Child Protection Society (OSCPS) under the Women & Child Development Department, aims to equip CWC members with legal knowledge, practical skills, and statutory responsibilities under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
Senior officials, including Dr Mrinalini Darswal, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Women & Child Development Department and Chairperson, OSCPS; Monisha Banerjee, Director, ICDS & Social Welfare and Director, OSCPS; Sumitra Pattanaik, Additional Secretary, Women & Child Development Department; and Babita Patra, Chairperson, Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR), attended the inaugural event.
