Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has rolled out a campaign to eliminate child labour across the state, with gram panchayats designated as the unit of action.
In line with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s vision of a child-labour free Odisha, the campaign was launched on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti on 2 October and will continue until Children’s Day on 14 November.
The initiative opened with gram sabhas adopting a “Resolution Against Child Labour”, followed by video appeals from the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida and other ministers urging citizens to join the movement.
ମାନ୍ୟବର ମୁଖ୍ୟମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଶ୍ରୀ @MohanMOdisha ଙ୍କ ଦୂରଦୃଷ୍ଟି ସମ୍ପନ୍ନ ଚିନ୍ତାଧାରା ଅନୁଯାୟୀ, ଆଜି ଗାନ୍ଧୀ ଜୟନ୍ତୀ ଅକ୍ଟୋବର ୨ରୁ ରାଜ୍ୟବ୍ୟାପୀ ୪୪ ଦିନିଆ ଆଇ.ଇ.ସି. (IEC) ଅଭିଯାନର ଶୁଭାରମ୍ଭ ହେଉଛି, ଯାହା ନଭେମ୍ବର ୧୪ ଶିଶୁ ଦିବସ ପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଜାରି ରହିବ। ପ୍ରତ୍ୟେକ ଗ୍ରାମସଭା ସ୍ତରରେ ସଂକଳ୍ପ ନେଇ ଶିଶୁମାନଙ୍କ ଅଧିକାର ରକ୍ଷା… pic.twitter.com/RKkPlkW7CC
— Rabi Narayan Naik (@RabiNaikBJP) October 2, 2026
The drive emphasises grassroots mobilisation, engaging Panchayati Raj institutions, schools, school management committees, Mission Shakti self‑help groups, frontline workers and the labour administration. Instead of creating separate structures for the drive, existing mechanisms are being strengthened for coordinated action, officials said.
The operational framework of the campaign is built around three key strategies. First is prevention, which will focus on school retention and sensitisation to curb dropouts and reduce vulnerability. The second is enforcement that envisages joint departmental drives, standardised rescue protocols and rehabilitation for rescued children. The third is mobilisation to empoer PRI functionaries to sustain community participation and ownership.
Gram panchayats are tasked with identifying vulnerable children, promoting school attendance, raising awareness of the dangers of child labour, and coordinating swift interventions. The campaign underscores that eliminating child labour requires families, communities, schools, governance bodies and government departments to act together.
By converging prevention, enforcement and rehabilitation, the 44‑day campaign aims to transform Odisha’s commitment into sustained grassroots action, ensuring every child enjoys the right to education and a childhood free from exploitation.
