The Odisha government has implemented a series of initiatives under the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ scheme, which aims to address the alarming gender imbalance and declining child sex ratio in India. Key programs such as “Nirbhaya Kadhi” (Fearless Bud), “Mo Gelha Jiya” (My Dear Daughter) in Ganjam, “Kalpana Avijan” in Dhenkanal, “Swarna Kalika” in Keonjhar, and “Veerangana Yojana” in Deogarh district are designed to empower adolescent girls. These initiatives focus on preventing child marriage, combating sex selection and female foeticide, promoting higher education, and building self-esteem and confidence through martial arts and self-defense, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Women and Child Development on Friday.
“Nirbhaya Kadhi” (Fearless Bud) and “Mo Gelha Jhia” (My Lovely Daughter) in Ganjam District: The “Nirbhaya Kadhi” initiative by Ganjam district administration under BBBP aims to create a just society for girls. It has reached 183,933 adolescent girls in 3,309 villages, focusing on raising awareness. Another initiative, “Mo Gelha Jhia,” addresses sex selection and female foeticide. Ganjam was declared child marriage-free on 3rd January 2022. From 2019 to October 2024, 20 out of 953 child marriages were successfully prevented with the help of various agencies. A total of 450,000 students in 3,614 government schools pledged to reject child marriage, with a reward of Rs.5,000 for reporting child marriages. The district’s proactive measures have been recognised by the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR).
“Kalpana Avijan” Scheme in Dhenkanal District: Launched in Dhenkanal, this programme monitors adolescent girls (10-19 years) to prevent child marriage. Between 2019 and 2024, it successfully prevented 343 child marriages. About 1,13,515 adolescent girls were enrolled in the scheme, and 4,45,000 students from 3,425 schools publicly pledged to reject child marriage. Strategic forums for engaging youth and traditional leaders were formed. The district’s efforts were recognized by various state officials, and a local girl, Barsha Priyadarshini Sahoo, was awarded for her efforts to stop her own child marriage.
“Swarna Kalika” Scheme in Keonjhar District: The “Swarna Kalika” initiative raised awareness in villages about the harmful effects of child marriage, with over 2,000 stakeholders involved. The program also promoted the ADVIKA app to raise awareness and intervene in child marriages. A district-wide campaign reduced child marriages by 50% by 2024 through effective mobilisation and awareness efforts.
“Veerangana” Scheme in Deogarh District: “Veerangana” focuses on boosting the self-esteem and confidence of adolescent girls through martial arts and self-defense training. A 30-day training camp, supported by the State KUDO Association of Odisha, trained over 500 girls from schools and colleges, with additional sessions for parents on girls’ legal rights. From this initiative, 50 female master trainers were developed to extend martial arts training to around 6,000 girls in 300 rural schools. The program received widespread media attention institutionalisation in schools and colleges and even won the prestigious SKOCH Award.
