In a move to accelerate the State’s welfare goals, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida chaired a comprehensive review meeting at the Women & Child Development (W&CD) Department in Bhubaneswar today.
The primary agenda was to outline a time-bound action plan and announce an upcoming state-level summit dedicated to Women and Child Development.
The State’s renewed objectives directly follow the Departmental Summit convened by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in New Delhi on 8–9 October 2026, which was held in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Today’s review focused on translating key takeaways from the national summit into measurable outcomes for Odisha through robust monitoring, strict accountability, and seamless interdepartmental coordination.
Aligning with the Centre, the Odisha government has pinpointed four critical thematic areas:
- Nutrition and Early Childhood Development: The State plans to upgrade the quality of Take-Home Rations and hot cooked meals while strengthening monitoring mechanisms via the Poshan Tracker. Further goals include transforming Anganwadi Centres into effective preschool learning environments, utilizing locally sourced nutritious foods, and enhancing Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) services.
- Child Protection (Mission Vatsalya): Emphasizing a prevention-led, family-centered approach, the State will prioritize family-based care over institutionalization. Vulnerable households will be identified, and rehabilitation support for children transitioning out of institutional care will be significantly strengthened.
- Women’s Safety: Key priorities include upgrading One Stop Centres and the Women Helpline 181, along with preventing child marriage through community-driven campaigns and vulnerability mapping across 12 high-prevalence districts. Improved coordination among police, health, and legal services, alongside stronger workplace safety measures under the POSH framework and SHe-Box, will also be implemented.
- Women’s Empowerment: The State intends to expand essential infrastructure for working women, including hostels and crèches. Convergence between the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana and Odisha’s Mamata scheme will be enhanced. A Women’s Economic Empowerment Framework will be operationalized across all 30 districts to track workforce participation, earnings, and entrepreneurship.
Dy CM Parida reiterated that strong interdepartmental coordination is vital to ensure these initiatives provide tangible, lasting benefits for women and children across the state.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Mrinalini Darswal, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, W&CD Department; Monisha Banerjee, Director; and other senior government officials.
