Odisha to Set Time-Bound Goals for Women and Child Development Across Four Key Areas

Bhubaneswar: Odisha will organise a state-level summit to finalise priorities and accelerate the implementation of programmes for women and children, with a focus on nutrition, child protection, women’s safety and economic empowerment.

Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida chaired a review meeting at the Women and Child Development Department in Bhubaneswar to outline the State’s goals in these four areas and discuss measures to translate policy priorities into measurable outcomes.

The proposed state-level summit will bring together relevant departments to strengthen coordination, identify implementation gaps and establish time-bound interventions.

The goals have been drawn up in line with the action points emerging from the Departmental Summit convened by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development in New Delhi on October 8 and 9, 2026, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During the review, Parida stressed the need for effective interdepartmental coordination, regular monitoring and accountability to ensure that government interventions deliver tangible benefits. The State aims to strengthen existing systems and improve the quality, accessibility and effectiveness of public services for women and children.

Focus on nutrition and early childhood development

Under the nutrition and early childhood development agenda, Odisha plans to improve the quality of Take-Home Ration and hot cooked meals provided through Anganwadi Centres. Strengthening nutrition monitoring through the Poshan Tracker and ensuring early identification and referral of children with severe acute malnutrition are also priorities.

The State will work to improve Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) services by making Anganwadi Centres more conducive to preschool learning. Other measures include promoting locally sourced nutritious food, encouraging greater parental participation and facilitating children’s transition from Anganwadi-based preschool education to formal schooling.

Strengthening child protection

Under Mission Vatsalya, the State will prioritise a prevention-led, family-centred approach to child welfare.

The proposed measures include identifying vulnerable households, encouraging family-based care instead of institutionalisation wherever appropriate, and strengthening rehabilitation and aftercare support for children leaving institutional care.

Regular reviews and better integration of child-protection data will also be pursued to improve accountability and ensure that vulnerable children receive timely support.

Measures to improve women’s safety

The State’s women’s safety agenda includes strengthening One Stop Centres and Women Helpline 181, along with improving coordination among the police, healthcare providers, legal services and rehabilitation agencies.

Preventing child marriage will be another priority. The government plans to encourage community participation, undertake village-level vulnerability mapping and organise targeted campaigns in 12 districts with a high prevalence of child marriage.

Measures to improve workplace safety under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) framework and the SHe-Box platform will also be pursued.

Economic empowerment and support for working women

Under the women’s empowerment agenda, Odisha plans to expand support infrastructure for working women through crèches and hostels. Strengthening the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme and improving coordination between the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana and the State’s Mamata scheme are also part of the proposed goals.

A Women’s Economic Empowerment Framework will be operationalised across all 30 districts. The framework will use relevant data to track women’s participation in the workforce, earnings, entrepreneurship and economic decision-making.

District-level targets and stronger monitoring mechanisms will be introduced to assess progress and identify areas requiring further intervention.

Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Women and Child Development Department Dr Mrinalini Darswal, Director Monisha Banerjee and other senior officials attended the review meeting.