Bhubaneswar: To mark Biju birth centenary celebration and completion of 80th year of formation of Odisha state, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday dedicated 1000 Anganwadi centres to the people of the state and launched Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana in a video conferencing at a state level function held at the State Secretariat here.
“Today the Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana was launched with a focus on health, nutrition and education of our girl child. It will also create awareness to end gender discrimination. Besides, 1000 Anganwadi centres were also dedicated today. We have a target to provide own buildings to all Anganwadi centres of the state by 2018-19”, Patnaik said in his address.
The Chief Minister also released a documentary on the services provided to the Anganwadi centres under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). He also unveiled booklets and blueprint on 1000 Anganwadi centres which he dedicated today.
He said the Anganwadi is the main centre of the village to provide health and nutrition services to pregnant women, lactating mothers and adolescent girls and infants.
He further said out of 71,306 Anganwadi centres in Odisha, 31175 have their own building while construction of 15,650 buildings is underway. “Construction of these buildings is made with the funds of Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) while target has been set to complete the construction work of the remaining 24,481 buildings by 2018-19”, he added.
Talking about Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana, the Chief Minister said the scheme will be initially introduced in Angul, Dhenkanal and Ganjam districts for three years from 2016-17.
“The prime objective of the programme is to ensure the survival of the girl children, create a conducive atmosphere for their development and maintain their self respect. Apart from this, this scheme also aims at curbing gender discrimination, sex determination, providing health and nutrition security, ensuring their attendance in schools and apprising the community, the service providers and the individuals of the importance of the girl child,” Patnaik pointed out.
The chief minister also had a video conferencing with the beneficiaries of Angul, Dhenkanal, Malkangiri, Ganjam and Mayurbhanj districts.
Among others, Woman and Child Development minister Usha Devi, Panchayati Raj minister Arun Kumar Sahu, Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi, Additional Chief Secretary, Development Commissioner, Principal Secretaries, Secretaries and Directors of concerned departments were present.