BHUBANESWAR: In a move to ensure transparency, accountability and efficiency in implementation of various welfare schemes for women and children, the Odisha government has decided to set up a command and control centre in the Women and Child Development (WCD) department.
The WCD department implements several developmental programmes and key welfare schemes like Mamata, Poshan Abhiyaan, Mukhymantri Sampoorna Pushti Yojana (MSPY), Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) and Adivika besides the recently launched flagship scheme Subhadra for women empowerment.
Sources said, the independent command centre will serve as a centralised platform to oversee the performance of these schemes, address operational challenges, and provide real-time solutions to stakeholders. The department will directly engage with stakeholders including anganwadi workers, supervisors, district officials and beneficiaries.
With a focus on improving the decentralised feeding programme under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), the centre will ensure that nutrition and other welfare benefits reach intended beneficiaries without delays or discrepancies.
The decision to establish the command system was, however, taken following allegations about the discrepancies and delay in delivery of services. The centre has been envisaged as a pivotal mechanism to bridge communication gaps and streamline service delivery through an inbound and outbound command and response mechanism.
A senior official of the WCD department said the government now wants to eliminate bottlenecks in service delivery and ensure that benefits reach those in need without fail by leveraging technology and centralised monitoring.
“The centre will monitor the distribution of benefits under various schemes. Based on the feedback, it will also identify and resolve issues faced by beneficiaries besides ensuring transparency in fund utilisation and programme outcomes by utilising advanced monitoring tools and real-time data analytics,” said the official.
In addition to the ICDS programme, the WCD department has been implementing other initiatives aimed at promoting the development and well-being of children, women and adolescents. “The initiative is expected to bring transformative changes to the lives of women and children,” the official added.