Bhubaneswar: Deputy Chief Minister and Women & Child Development Minister Pravati Parida has written to all MLAs in Odisha, urging them to actively support the construction, timely completion, and quality maintenance of Anganwadi centres in their respective constituencies.

In her communication issued on Friday, the Deputy Chief Minister stressed the need for collective efforts to further strengthen women and child development initiatives across the state. She called upon public representatives to ensure greater community participation, particularly the involvement of women, in developmental works being undertaken at the constituency level.

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Odisha pushes women and child development through grassroots initiatives

Parida highlighted that strengthening Anganwadi infrastructure is essential for improving grassroots-level services related to childcare, nutrition, early childhood education, and women’s welfare.

She also underlined the importance of maintaining quality standards in the construction and functioning of Anganwadi centres to ensure better service delivery to beneficiaries.

According to official data, during the financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26, a total of 3,293 new Anganwadi Centre buildings were inaugurated and handed over under the infrastructure strengthening initiative.

In addition, 12,140 Anganwadi Centres across Odisha have been upgraded into Saksham Anganwadis under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme.

The state government said the initiative is aimed at improving nutrition, healthcare, and learning support for children and women through better-equipped and modernised Anganwadi centres across Odisha.