Bhubaneswar: A high-level review meeting on women’s safety, security and empowerment was held at Lok Seva Bhawan on Thursday in the presence of Vijaya Rahatkar, Chairperson of the National Commission for Women.
Senior officials of the Government of Odisha, including Chief Secretary Anu Garg, along with top bureaucrats from key departments and the Director General of Police, attended the meeting. District Collectors and other district-level officers joined via video conferencing.
Presentations were made by the Women & Child Development, Mission Shakti, and Home departments, outlining the State’s convergent approach towards women’s empowerment and safety.
The Chief Secretary highlighted major initiatives such as Subhadra, Lakhpati Didi, Mission Shakti Cafés, POSHAN, crèche services, PMMVY, and various women-centric skill development programmes and entitlements being implemented across departments.
In her keynote address, Rahatkar commended Odisha’s institutional mechanisms and proactive initiatives, particularly praising the success of the Subhadra scheme and the Lakhpati Didi initiative under Mission Shakti for promoting women’s economic independence and leadership.
She also lauded innovative measures like the Shakti App, developed in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund, for enabling a technology-driven response to gender-based violence. Additionally, she appreciated programmes such as ADVIKA and SHAKTISHREE for empowering adolescents and young women.
Emphasising the need for stronger implementation, Rahatkar called for expedited disposal of pending trafficking and gender-based violence cases to ensure timely justice. She also stressed effective enforcement of the POSH Act and other women protection laws, along with enhanced inter-departmental coordination at both State and district levels.
Further, she proposed the establishment of “Tere Mere Sapne” pre-marital communication centres in every district under the leadership of District Collectors to promote harmonious family life and wellbeing.
The meeting reaffirmed the Odisha government’s commitment to ensuring safety, dignity, and equal opportunities for women across the State.
