WCD signs MoU With OSDMA to strengthen Odisha’s Disaster Management Capabilities

Bhubaneswar: In a significant move to enhance Odisha’s preparedness for natural calamities, the Department of Women and Child Development has formalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Odisha Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA). The signing ceremony took place at the State Institute for Women and Children (SIWC) campus in Bhubaneswar.

Minister of Women and Child Development and Mission Shakti, Basanti Hembram highlighted the crucial role of national and state-level organizations like Gopabandhu Administration Academy, State Rural Development Institute (SIRD), WASSAN, and the State Institute for Women and Children in establishing a center of excellence. Hembram stressed the importance of collaborative efforts to combat natural calamities in Odisha, expressing confidence that the MoU would strengthen the state’s disaster management plan.

Sushmita Behera, Executive Officer, Odisha State Disaster Management Authority, commended the Department of Women and Child Development for becoming the first department to complete state-level natural disaster management training. The primary objective of the MoU is to extend disaster management training to the grassroots level, aiming to create a disaster management warrior in every household. S. Gayatri, Chief Instructress at SIWC, acknowledged the challenges in training district-level child protection officers and Anganwadi workers across the state. Despite the challenges, the focus remains on combating natural disasters and extending training to the village level.

The MoU signifies a strategic partnership between the Department of Women and Child Development and OSDMA, reflecting the government’s commitment to building resilience and ensuring the safety of communities in the face of disasters.