Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed the scheme, ‘We will study in our own language’, being implemented in Anganwadi centres of the state. He also reviewed the ‘Mukhyamandir Kanya Vivah Yojana’ to be implemented by the Women and Child Development department.
At present, children are being taught in their mother tongue in the initial grades at 10,629 Anganwadi centres located in 15 districts of the state in 17 indigenous languages. These languages are Desia, Bhumij, Binjhal, Gondi, Ho, Sadri, Khadia, Banda, Munda, Koya, Kubhi, Kui, Saura, Santali, Oram, Kishan and Jhuang.
It may be noted that Odisha is the first in the country to adopt this mother tongue-based pre-primary education system in Anganwadi centres. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has also emphasised on this multilingual pre-primary education system.
The Chief Minister said that impacting education in mother tongue at the foundation stage will increase a child’s self-confidence and his interest in reading will also increase in the coming days.
He stressed the need for publishing picture books by showing pictures to the children related to the objects, animals, or materials used by them that they see in their own environment. While this was started in 2014, the CM said there is a need to create more human resources and train Anganwadi workers to make it more effective
The meeting also discussed the ‘Mukhya Mantri Kanya Vivah Yojana’ to be implemented under the guidance of the Chief Minister to ease the burden of daughters’ marriage on poor parents.
Assistance is already being provided for the marriage of girls by the Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department, for inter-caste marriage by the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Caste Development Department, and for the construction worker assistance programme by the Labor Department.
It was expressed in the meeting that this Mukhya Mantri Kanya Vivah Yojana, which is to be implemented, will be of immense help to the poor, helpless and financially weak families for the marriage of their girls.
The Chief Minister emphasised the need to include widowed girls in this scheme. Along with this, he gave direction to make arrangements for providing gifts at the government level. He also asked to organise the marriage on a collective basis. He asked the department to complete all the procedures as soon as possible and launch this scheme. Notably, an allocation of Rs. 12 crore has been made for this scheme this year.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, Development Commissioner Anu Garg, and other senior officials.
