THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, FEBRUARY 25, 2026
Reaffirming that women’s empowerment and child protection remain at the
heart of Odisha’s governance priorities, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida
on Tuesday underscored the State Government’s commitment to ensuring financial
independence for women and a secure, healthy future for children through
coordinated welfare programmes.
A high-level review meeting of the Department of Women and Child
Development was held in Bhubaneswar, attended by Union Minister for Women and
Child Development Annapurna Devi, while Deputy Chief Minister and
Departmental Minister Smt. Pravati Parida chaired the session. The meeting
assessed the progress of major schemes and outlined strategies to strengthen
implementation, particularly in remote and tribal regions.
Union Minister Annapurna Devi lauded Odisha’s flagship Subhadra Yojana,
stating that “when government assistance is transferred directly to women’s
bank accounts, it ensures their financial independence and empowerment.” She advised
the State to promote ‘Tithi Bhojan’ in Anganwadi centres and observe Poshan
Diwas and Poshan Week to reinforce nutrition initiatives, noting that
coordinated efforts between citizens and the government can play a crucial role
in eliminating malnutrition. Expressing satisfaction over the positive outcomes
of various welfare programmes, she assured full support through Centre–State
convergence for their effective implementation.
Addressing the meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida said that comprehensive
empowerment of women and a safe future for children are the State Government’s
foremost priorities. She announced that the fourth instalment of the Subhadra
scheme will be credited to beneficiaries’ accounts on March 8, coinciding with
International Women’s Day, with the department working to ensure timely and
transparent disbursement. She further highlighted that the coordinated
implementation of Central and State schemes is steadily improving the quality
of life of women and children across Odisha.
The review covered key focus areas including nutrition, protection, and education, with officials presenting progress reports on Mission Vatsalya, Ashirbad, Jashoda, and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao. Special emphasis was placed on addressing challenges such as malnutrition, child marriage, and last-mile delivery of services in remote and tribal pockets through targeted campaign-mode interventions.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary Dr. Mrinalini Darswal, Director Monisha Banerjee, and other senior officials of the department were present at the meeting. The deliberations are expected to provide renewed momentum to the State’s efforts towards building a healthier, safer, and more empowered future for women and children.
