Deputy CM Pravati Parida Announces Comprehensive Welfare Strategy for Women and Children
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida has outlined a comprehensive action plan aimed at strengthening women and child development initiatives across the state.
The roadmap focuses on nutrition, child protection, women’s safety, and economic empowerment, aligning Odisha’s priorities with national welfare objectives.
Chairing a high-level review meeting in Bhubaneswar, Pravati Parida directed officials to prepare a time-bound strategy for effective implementation of welfare programmes.
She also announced plans to organise a state-level summit on women and child development to accelerate policy reforms and improve service delivery.
A major focus of the action plan is improving nutrition and early childhood development.
The government aims to enhance the quality of Take-Home Rations and hot cooked meals, strengthen monitoring systems through the Poshan Tracker, and upgrade Anganwadi Centres into vibrant preschool learning hubs.
The initiative also seeks to promote the use of locally available nutritious food products.
In the area of child protection, the state will prioritise family-based care and preventive interventions under Mission Vatsalya.
Efforts will include early identification of vulnerable families, improved support systems, and stronger rehabilitation measures for children transitioning out of institutional care.
Women’s safety remains another key pillar of the strategy.
The government plans to strengthen One Stop Centres and Women Helpline 181 services while intensifying efforts to eliminate child marriage through targeted awareness campaigns and vulnerability mapping in high-prevalence districts.
Greater coordination among police, healthcare, and legal authorities has also been proposed to ensure timely support for women in distress.
To boost women’s economic participation, the state will expand hostel and crèche facilities for working women and improve convergence between welfare schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana and Odisha’s Mamata programme.
A Women’s Economic Empowerment Framework will also be implemented across all 30 districts to monitor workforce participation, earnings, and entrepreneurship outcomes.
The Deputy Chief Minister emphasised the importance of interdepartmental coordination, regular monitoring, and accountability to ensure that welfare programmes deliver measurable improvements in the lives of women and children across Odisha.
