Bhubaneswar: Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida on Tuesday inaugurated a five-day Orientation Training Programme for the newly appointed Chairpersons and Members of Child Welfare Committees (CWCs), underscoring the State Government’s commitment to building a strong, child-centric protection system and ensuring justice, care, and rehabilitation for every vulnerable child.
Addressing the inaugural session, the Deputy Chief Minister said that children are the nation’s greatest asset and that protecting their rights is a collective responsibility of both the government and society. Reaffirming the State Government’s commitment to child welfare, she said Odisha is continuously strengthening its child protection ecosystem through institutional capacity-building, improved service delivery, enhanced monitoring mechanisms, and regular training of frontline functionaries.
The five-day orientation programme has been organised by the Odisha State Child Protection Society (OSCPS) under the Women & Child Development Department to equip the newly appointed CWC members with the knowledge, legal understanding, and practical skills required to effectively discharge their statutory responsibilities under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
The inaugural programme was attended by Dr. Mrinalini Darswal, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Women & Child Development Department and Chairperson, OSCPS; Monisha Banerjee, Director, ICDS & Social Welfare and Director, OSCPS; Sumitra Pattanaik, Additional Secretary, Women & Child Development Department; and Babita Patra, Chairperson, Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR).
