Bhubaneswar: In a significant move to bolster women-centric welfare initiatives, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed Thursday between the Women and Child Development (W&CD) department and Utkalika, the Odisha State Cooperative Handicrafts Corporation, for supplying gift items under Mukhyamantri Kanya Bibaha Yojana (MKBY).
The MoU was signed by Additional Secretary of W&CD department, Sumitra Pattnayak and Executive Director of Utkalika Mamata Nayak, in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who also oversees the W&CD department. Under the agreement, Utkalika will supply a variety of items to eligible girls for their marriage, including sarees, bangles, footwear, ornaments, alta and sindoor, other bridal accessories and household items such as utensils and cushions.
The Deputy CM emphasised that this collaboration will not only ensure that welfare schemes reach the intended beneficiaries but also promote Odisha’s handloom and handicraft sectors, giving a boost to local artisans.
The programme was attended by senior officials, including W&CD department Principal Secretary Shubha Sharma, Director Monisha Banerjee, Director of Handlooms, Textiles, and Handicrafts department Nivedita Prusti, Additional Secretary Pratap Hota and other senior officers from both departments.
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