Odisha Dy CM Pravati Parida highlights 'Sundar, Sakhyam, Sudrudha' goal for Anganwadis
Bhubaneswar, April 2
Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who also holds the Women and Child Development portfolio, on Thursday emphasised that the creation of "Sundar, Sakhyam, Sudrudha" Anganwadi centres remains a key priority of the state government.
In a significant step towards strengthening grassroots childcare infrastructure, as many as 1,889 newly constructed Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) across all 30 districts of the state were virtually inaugurated by the Deputy Chief Minister.
The initiative is aimed at improving early childhood care, nutrition services, and pre-school education at the community level. State Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department Minister Rabi Narayan Naik was also present at the event held in Bhubaneswar.
Addressing the gathering, Parida reiterated the government's commitment to building quality and inclusive infrastructure for children and women.
The Deputy Chief Minister stated that the vision behind the initiative is to ensure that every Anganwadi centre is "Sundar, Sakhyam, Sudrudha", reflecting improved facilities, strengthened service delivery, and overall development.
During the programme, the Deputy Chief Minister also interacted with district administrations from Balasore, Ganjam, Cuttack, Angul, Deogarh, and several other districts. She reviewed the progress of Anganwadi infrastructure projects and stressed the need for timely completion and effective implementation to maximise benefits at the grassroots level.
Highlighting the state's accelerated pace of development, Minister Naik said that children currently enrolled in Anganwadi centres would play a crucial role in shaping a developed Odisha by 2036.
He also praised the WCD Department for its consistent efforts under the leadership of Parida.
Officials from the WCD Department noted that the large-scale initiative has been made possible through strong inter-departmental convergence between the Women and Child Development Department and the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department, ensuring efficient execution and broader outreach across the state.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Building infrastructure is one thing, but maintaining it is another. I hope there is a proper plan and budget for the upkeep of these 1889 new Anganwadis. We've seen many government buildings fall into disrepair after a few years. The focus should be on 'Sudrudha' in the long term.
Good step by the Odisha government. Investing in children is investing in the future. The inter-departmental convergence mentioned is key – often projects fail because different departments don't work together. If implemented well, this can be a model for other states.
The focus on women and child development is so crucial. Strengthening these grassroots centres can have a massive ripple effect on community health and women's empowerment. Hoping the 'Sakhyam' aspect means friendly and supportive staff training as well.
Inaugurating nearly 1900 centres is a huge number! My only request to the administration is to please ensure regular monitoring. The Anganwadi worker is the backbone of this system – they need proper support, timely salaries, and resources. Jai Odisha!
The vision is beautiful – beautiful, strong, and capable centres. But the real test is in remote tribal areas of districts like Deogarh. Hope the outreach is truly state-wide and these benefits reach the most marginalised children. That would be real development.
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