Centre lauds Subhadra Yojana as Odisha reviews women and child welfare programmes

Bhubaneswar: In a major review of welfare initiatives, the progress of various schemes and programmes of the Odisha Government’s Women and Child Development (WCD) Department was assessed at a high-level meeting here on Thursday, in the presence of Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of the Department, Pravati Parida.

Commending the state’s flagship Subhadra Yojana, Union Minister Annapurna Devi said that direct benefit transfers to women’s bank accounts play a crucial role in ensuring financial independence and empowerment. She advised the department to strengthen community participation in nutrition initiatives by organising ‘Tithi Bhojan’ at Anganwadi centres and observing Poshan Diwas and Poshan Week more effectively. Highlighting the importance of collective responsibility, she said coordinated efforts between citizens and the government could significantly contribute to eliminating malnutrition in the state. The Union Minister also expressed satisfaction over the positive impact of Odisha’s welfare schemes and assured full support through close Centre–State coordination.

Addressing the meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida reiterated that holistic empowerment of women and a secure future for children remain the top priorities of the state government. She announced that the fourth instalment of the Subhadra scheme would be credited directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts on March 8, coinciding with International Women’s Day. She added that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure timely, transparent, and seamless disbursement. Emphasising convergence of Central and State initiatives, she noted that Odisha is steadily advancing towards improving the overall quality of life of women and children.

The review also covered programmes aimed at the holistic development of women and children across three core areas—nutrition, protection, and education. Detailed presentations were made on the implementation status of key schemes including Mission Vatsalya, Ashirbad, Jashoda, and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao. Special focus was laid on addressing persistent challenges such as malnutrition, child marriage, and effective scheme implementation in remote and tribal regions through targeted, campaign-mode interventions.