Bhubaneswar: Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida on Wednesday attended the district-level Mukhyamantri Kanya Bibaha Yojana (MKBY) programme in Keonjhar, where she blessed 38 newlywed couples and reviewed a range of women and child welfare initiatives along with key development projects in the district.
The event, organised by the Department of Women and Child Development at the Shankarpur Sports Complex, was attended by Keonjhar MP Ananta Nayak, Telkoi MLA and District Planning Committee Chairman Dr Fakir Mohan Naik, Collector Vishal Singh, DFO Dhanaraj HD, Additional District Magistrates Mandardhar Mahalik and Dr Priyanka Marandi, among others.
During her visit, Parida also chaired a review meeting at the Darbar Hall of the Collectorate to assess the progress of various developmental and welfare programmes being implemented in the district.
The Deputy Chief Minister reviewed infrastructure facilities at Anganwadi centres, including construction of dedicated buildings, drinking water supply, electricity connections and toilet facilities. She also assessed the implementation of nutrition monitoring initiatives and the distribution system being carried out through the Face Recognition System.
The review meeting further focused on the implementation of the Subhadra Yojana, including field-level verification of applications, as well as schemes such as Mission Shakti, Samarthya, Shakti Sadan and Palana Crèche services.
Officials also discussed awareness campaigns being conducted to make the district free from child marriage. Parida stressed the need for effective utilisation of District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds for women and child development programmes and highlighted the importance of rehabilitation and educational support for children living in child care institutions.
The Deputy Chief Minister also reviewed development and beautification works at major tourist destinations in Keonjhar, including Maa Tarini Temple, Sanaghagara, Badaghagara and Khandadhar. She assessed facilities such as parking, pathways and toilets at these locations.
Parida directed officials to ensure timely completion of all developmental projects and emphasised the need for regular monitoring to improve service delivery for beneficiaries.
