Bhubaneswar, Jan 27 (IANS) Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida on Tuesday appealed to citizens to mark special occasions in their lives by sharing fruits with Anganwadi children in their localities to help eliminate malnutrition in the state.

She appealed to a special programme held at the State Institute for Women & Children (SIWC) in Bhubaneswar. The Deputy Chief Minister also inaugurated the ‘Panchatatwa Park’, launched the ‘SUPOSHIT Odisha Mission’ (SOM), and laid the foundation stone for the Subhadra Resource Centre. Parida emphasised that the fight against malnutrition begins at home.

She issued a clarion call to educate mothers at the grassroots level, empowering them with the knowledge needed to ensure their children’s health. A key highlight of her address was the “localisation of nutritious food,” wherein she urged communities to rely on locally available, nutrient-rich resources rather than processed alternatives.

In a unique social appeal, she encouraged citizens to celebrate personal milestones, such as birthdays, by distributing fruits to local Anganwadi children.

According to an official statement, the ‘Panchatatwa Park’, based on the five essential elements of nature – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space – and featuring an acupressure path and an open-air gym, was inaugurated by the Deputy Chief Minister on Tuesday.

Parida also laid the foundation stone for the construction of the Subhadra Resource Centre and a 400-seater modern auditorium at the SIWC campus, with an estimated investment of Rs 35.70 crore.

This integrated facility, which will include a Toy Museum and a cafeteria, is expected to serve as a dynamic hub for capacity building, research, and policy initiatives for women and children.

Inaugurating the two-day ‘State-level Orientation-cum-Capacity Building Workshop’ under the Suposhita Odisha Mission, the Deputy Chief Minister underscored that the objective of the workshop is to strengthen Anganwadi workers at the grassroots level.

To ensure the comfort and dignity of preschool children aged 3 to 6 years, the Deputy Chief Minister also announced a significant hike in the financial allocation under the Malati Devi Prak Vidyalaya Paridhan Yojana.

–IANS

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