Bhubaneswar: The state-level child protection welfare monitoring and review committee met Thursday at Lok Seva Bhawan, chaired by Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja. Officials from various departments discussed plans to set up Child Help Centres at railway stations and bus stands across the state. Ahuja emphasised child protection and care through collective efforts of all departments, including Women and Child Development (WCD), School and Mass Education, Higher Education, Health and Family Welfare, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water, Home, Skill Development and Technical Education. He also directed district-level monitoring to be made more active.
Participants in the meeting discussed in detail the ongoing schemes, government mechanisms, and contributions of NGOs and institutions working in the field of child protection. Special emphasis was laid on the effective implementation of ‘Mission Vatsalya’ in the state. On the occasion, WCD director Monisha Banerjee made a comprehensive presentation on various institutional and non-institutional arrangements for child protection in the state. Key national and state-level bodies such as the Mission Vatsalya Approval Board, Mission Vatsalya Central Project Monitoring Unit, State Child Protection Society, State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA), and the three-tier Child Welfare and Protection Committees at state, district, and gram panchayat levels are actively functioning in the state.
At present, Odisha has 30 District Child Protection Units (DCPUs), 31 Child Welfare Committees (CWCs), 34 Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs), 36 dedicated Juvenile Police Units, and 220 Child Care Institutions (CCIs). About 8,150 children are under institutional care, while 6,317 children are under non-institutional care. The adoption trend in Odisha has shown steady growth over the past three years. Due to awareness, streamlined processes and strengthened systems, in-country adoption has increased, with the adoption of girl children exceeding that of boys each year. Odisha has 160 children’s homes, 33 specialised adoption agencies, 12 open shelters, 7 observation homes and 7 special homes. Out of 8,150 children in CCIs, 98 per cent have been enrolled for Aadhaar.
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Currently, 672 children are pursuing vocational education, and 8,130 individuals have undergone training through 264 different programmes. While 211 children have secured employment, 79 have become self-employed. The state also provides marriage assistance to children leaving institutional care. Currently, 41 Child Help Units and the State Control Room are functioning effectively to extend support to children in need. Financial assistance under the ‘Ashirbad Yojana’ is being provided to eligible children. Other key focus areas discussed included mental health support and counselling for traumatised children, smart education through e-learning, video conferencing facilities for juvenile case hearings and monthly financial aid for continuing education under ‘Ashirbad Yojana’.
