New Delhi, Oct 9 (UDN): Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida attended the two-day Departmental Summit of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development in New Delhi, holding discussions with Union Minister Annapurna Devi on strengthening welfare initiatives for women and children.
Pic Credit: x.com/PravatiPOdisha
The summit, being held on October 8 and 9, brings together representatives from the Centre, states and Union Territories to discuss policy priorities, improve coordination and strengthen the implementation of key programmes in the women and child development sector.
Mrinalini Darswal, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Odisha’s Women and Child Development Department, is also participating in the deliberations.
Focus on Nutrition, Child Protection and Women’s Safety
The discussions at the summit are centred on four major areas: improving nutrition and early childhood education through the transformation of Anganwadi Centres, strengthening child protection systems, enhancing women’s safety through effective institutional and legal mechanisms, and expanding women-focused empowerment initiatives.
These priorities aim to improve access to essential services and strengthen the delivery of welfare programmes at the grassroots level.
Odisha Looks to Strengthen Centre-State Coordination
Parida’s participation provides Odisha an opportunity to share its experiences and initiatives in women and child development while learning from successful practices implemented by other states and Union Territories.
The meeting with Annapurna Devi also comes amid efforts to improve coordination between the Centre and state governments on policies concerning nutrition, child welfare, women’s security and economic empowerment.
Effective collaboration between the two levels of government is considered essential to ensuring that welfare schemes reach intended beneficiaries and deliver measurable outcomes.
Time-Bound Action Plan Expected
The summit is expected to conclude with a time-bound action plan outlining specific responsibilities, implementation deadlines and monitoring mechanisms.
The proposed framework is intended to improve accountability, strengthen programme implementation and enhance service delivery across the country.
The deliberations are expected to contribute to a more coordinated approach towards improving the well-being, protection and empowerment of women and children, with states playing a key role in translating policy priorities into effective action on the ground.
