A high-level meeting chaired by Odisha’s Development Commissioner–cum-Additional Chief Secretary, Smt. Anu Garg, IAS, convened on April 8 to discuss UNICEF’s Social Policy and Social Security Action Plan for 2025-2027.
Held at Lokseva Bhawan’s Conference Hall, the meeting saw active participation from principal secretaries, senior officials, and UNICEF representatives. Together, they reviewed the multi-year plan designed to enhance social protection access, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children, adolescents, women, and persons with disabilities.
UNICEF’s experts presented the progress and the focus areas for the work plan, which spans strategic goals including child development analysis, public finance for children, and SDG-focused outcome budgeting. Collaboration efforts between UNICEF and state technical institutions like NIT Rourkela, along with various government departments, aim to generate policy briefs and bolster decision-making using budget statements on child nutrition and gender concerns.
Smt. Garg emphasized the need for continued government support, integration of departmental proposals, and capacity building at grassroots levels, including initiatives targeted at Gram Panchayats to drive SDG-related interventions.
