THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, APRIL 29, 2026

In response to Odisha's evolving demographic landscape and the growing need for integrated, future-ready systems to support older persons and persons with disabilities, a high-level consultative meeting on the proposed Odisha Resource Centre for Ageing and Divyangjan (ORCAD) was held in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.

The consultation was organised by the Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SS & EPD), Government of Odisha, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). It brought together senior government officials, representatives from United Nations agencies, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNICEF, as well as development partners and domain experts.

Envisioned as a state-level Centre of Excellence, ORCAD aims to serve as a strategic anchor for advancing inclusion, accessibility, and coordinated service delivery for elderly persons and Divyangjan across Odisha. The Centre is expected to strengthen inter-departmental convergence, promote evidence-based policymaking and programming, and build institutional capacities at all administrative levels. It will also facilitate their meaningful participation in the State's economic and social development, in line with the vision of Viksit Odisha 2036 and 2047.

Suresh Kumar Vashishth, Principal Secretary to the Government, underscored the importance of building responsive and inclusive systems capable of addressing the complex and intersecting challenges arising from demographic transition. He reaffirmed the State's commitment to ensuring dignity, independence, and equitable access to opportunities for all.

Parul Patawari, Director, highlighted ORCAD's envisioned role as a knowledge and resource hub that would support research, capacity building, and policy innovation. She emphasised the need for robust institutional mechanisms that can effectively translate data and insights into scalable interventions while embedding inclusion within the State's governance architecture.

The consultation witnessed participation from key departments, including Health and Family Welfare, School and Mass Education, Higher Education, Mission Shakti, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water, and Women and Child Development, alongside technical experts.

Dr. Nadeem Noor, State Head, UNFPA Odisha, presented the proposed institutional framework for ORCAD, developed in partnership with the SS & EPD Department.

Rich deliberations and valuable suggestions emerged during the consultation, generating actionable insights that will help refine the institutional design, governance structure, and implementation roadmap for ORCAD.

The session was chaired by the Principal Secretary of the SS & EPD Department.

The proposed ORCAD initiative marks a significant step towards strengthening Odisha's governance ecosystem for inclusive development, signalling a decisive shift from welfare-oriented approaches to rights-based, institutionalised inclusion.