The State Government on Wednesday decided to bring in a special welfare programme for orphan and destitute children, Biju Bal Vikash Yojana, soon. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik while reviewing progress of the various welfare schemes of the Women and Child Development Department at the State Secretariat here took this decision.
“The proposed Biju Bal Vikash Yojana will primarily rehabilitate orphan and destitute children of the State. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has asked the Women and Child Development Department to prepare a detailed plan in this regard,” informed an official release. Stressing on rehabilitation of physically-challenged children, the Chief Minister directed the department to award organisations which shows good performance in the field.
It was decided that a special school for physically-challenged children would be opened in every district. The newly-created Social Security and Disabled Empowerment Department will start functioning from July 1. The Chief Minister also directed that the ICDS schemes be modified into centres of excellence in order to expedite development in the W and CW Department. Similarly, it was decided that buildings for 8,000 Anganwadi Centres would be constructed each year so that all Anganwadi centres would have own buildings in coming five years. Among others, W and CW Minister Usha Devi, Mission Shakti Minister Snehangini Chhuria and Development Commissioner UN Behera were present.