Bhubaneswar, 13 January (H.S.): Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Women and Child Development Pravati Parida on Tuesday launched a series of major schemes, campaigns and infrastructure projects aimed at strengthening the welfare, education and protection of women and children across Odisha. The programmes were inaugurated at a state-level event held at the Convention Hall of Lok Seva Bhawan.

Addressing the gathering, the Deputy Chief Minister said women’s empowerment is the cornerstone of a developed Odisha and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to ensuring a safe, equal and dignified environment for women and children. She emphasised the need to strengthen early education in the mother tongue, prevent child marriage, improve adolescent health and ensure strong inter-departmental coordination and community participation at the grassroots level.

A key highlight of the event was the launch of the five-year “Ame Padhiba Ama Bhashare” (We Will Learn in Our Own Language) initiative, aligned with the National Education Policy 2020. The programme will provide early childhood education in the mother tongue for children aged 3 to 6 years. In its first phase, it will be implemented in Keonjhar, Kandhamal, Gajapati, Rayagada, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri districts in Munda, Kui, Soura, Kuvi, Gondi and Koya languages. Anganwadi workers will receive language-specific training, teaching materials and audio-visual content.

The Deputy Chief Minister also launched a 100-day statewide campaign to prevent child marriage. The campaign will involve communities, youth leaders, ASHA and Anganwadi workers, and institutional platforms to promote girls’ education, awareness and safety through activities such as cycle rallies, youth conventions, human chains, school and college-based early warning systems and digital outreach.

It was also announced that a UNICEF-supported pilot project will be launched in Mayurbhanj district to prevent adolescent pregnancies and support adolescent mothers. The initiative will provide integrated support in health, nutrition, education, social protection, re-enrolment in education and skill development, and is expected to serve as a model for the state.

In addition, Parida inaugurated the new administrative building of the State Institute for Women and Children (SIWC) at Barpali in Bargarh district, and residential quarters for ICDS field officers in Kandhamal and Boudh districts, aimed at strengthening training, service delivery and field-level implementation.

Senior officials of the Women and Child Development Department, representatives of UNICEF, Piramal Foundation, Pratham Foundation and SALSA, along with district collectors and social welfare officers from across Odisha, participated in the programme, both in person and virtually.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda