- Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida Meets Union Minister
New Delhi | Bhubaneswar, October 2026: Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha and Minister for Women & Child Development, Smt. Pravati Parida, met Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Annapurna Devi, in New Delhi today on the occasion of her participation in the Departmental Summit of the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), Government of India. Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Women & Child Development Department, Smt. Mrinalini Darswal, is also participating in the two-day Summit.
The two-day Departmental Summit, being held on 8–9 October 2026, brings together Ministers and senior officials from States and Union Territories to deliberate on key issues concerning nutrition, child protection, women’s safety and women’s empowerment, while strengthening Centre-State cooperation and convergence in the implementation of major programmes.
The Summit is structured around four key thematic areas: reimagining Anganwadi Centres for better nutrition and early education; strengthening the child protection system; ensuring women’s safety through effective implementation of institutional and legislative frameworks; and enhancing the effectiveness and outcomes of key interventions for women’s empowerment.
Smt. Pravati Parida’s participation underscores Odisha’s commitment to sharing its experiences and innovations while learning from best practices across States and UTs, with a focus on translating policy interventions into measurable improvements in the lives of women and children.
The Summit will conclude with deliberations on a time-bound Action Plan, with clearly defined responsibilities, timelines and monitoring mechanisms, aimed at strengthening service delivery and achieving holistic development, safety, well-being and empowerment of women and children.
