Odisha has taken significant steps to empower adolescent girls through various initiatives under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme, which was launched on January 22, 2015, to address gender imbalance and the declining child sex ratio in India. The state has introduced impactful programs such as “Nirbhaya Kadhi” and “Mo Gelha Jhia” in Ganjam, “Kalpana Avijan” in Dhenkanal, “Swarna Kalika” in Keonjhar, and “Veerangana Yojana” in Deogarh, focusing on preventing child marriage, promoting education, boosting self-esteem, and ensuring gender equality.
In Ganjam district, the “Nirbhaya Kadhi” (Fearless Bud) initiative has been launched to create a safe environment for girls by educating them about their rights. The program has covered 183,933 adolescent girls across 3,309 villages, aged between 11-18 years, through extensive awareness meetings. A satellite program, “Mo Gelha Jhia” (My Lovely Daughter), works towards combating sex selection and female foeticide. The impact of these initiatives has been remarkable, with Ganjam district being declared child marriage-free on January 3, 2022. From 2019 to October 2024, 953 child marriages were prevented, and 20 were stopped at the last moment. Around 450,000 students from 3,614 government schools took a public pledge to say ‘No’ to child marriage. To encourage reporting, an award of ₹5,000 is given to those who provide first-hand information about child marriage cases. The Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) recognized Ganjam’s efforts by felicitating the District Collector for proactive measures in safeguarding children’s rights.
In Dhenkanal district, the “Kalpana Avijan” scheme was launched to track and monitor adolescent girls aged 10-19 years and prevent child marriages through community committees. Since its launch, the initiative has successfully prevented 343 child marriages between 2019-2024 and enrolled 1,13,515 adolescent girls. As part of the campaign, 4,45,000 students from 3,425 schools publicly pledged to reject child marriage. The district administration has conducted awareness programs in 1,211 villages and established strategic forums for youth engagement and involvement of traditional leaders. On International Girl Child Week 2024, the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of Dhenkanal was felicitated for proactive efforts in child protection. Ms. Barsha Priyadarshini Sahoo from Odapada Block received recognition for resisting her own early marriage and spreading awareness. A rescued child marriage survivor turned mountaineer was declared the brand ambassador of the Kalpana Abhijan program, inspiring young girls to stand against forced marriage.
In Keonjhar district, the “Swarna Kalika” scheme has been instrumental in raising awareness about the harmful effects of child marriage through grassroots campaigns. Over 2,000 stakeholders, including local leaders, activists, and community members, have participated in these campaigns. The program also promoted the ADVIKA app, which aids in awareness-building and intervention efforts. Through consistent community-driven activities, the district witnessed a 50% reduction in child marriages by 2024, reinforcing the importance of collaborative efforts in tackling social issues.
In Deogarh district, the “Veerangana” initiative was introduced to equip adolescent girls with self-defense skills, helping them tackle harassment, eve-teasing, and molestation. A 30-day self-defense and martial arts training camp was held at Indoor Stadium, Deogarh, in collaboration with the State KUDO Association of Odisha, Cuttack. More than 500 adolescent girls aged 14-19 from various schools and colleges participated, alongside 300 guardians and teachers who received orientation on legal rights and protections for girls. As a result, 50 female master trainers were developed, who later trained 6,000 girls across 300 schools in rural Odisha. Due to its success, the Veerangana program was institutionalized in multiple schools and colleges. It also received the prestigious SKOCH Award as a semi-finalist and was recognized at the Deogarh District Festival for its outstanding impact.
Odisha’s implementation of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme has led to significant improvements in the lives of adolescent girls. By fostering education, gender equality, and self-defense training, the state has created a robust support system for young girls. With successful initiatives like Nirbhaya Kadhi, Mo Gelha Jhia, Kalpana Avijan, Swarna Kalika, and Veerangana, Odisha is setting an example for the rest of the country in promoting women empowerment and child protection.
Odisha has taken significant steps to empower adolescent girls through various initiatives under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme, which was launched on January 22, 2015, to address gender imbalance and the declining child sex ratio in India. The state has introduced impactful programs such as “Nirbhaya Kadhi” and “Mo Gelha Jhia” in Ganjam, “Kalpana Avijan” in Dhenkanal, “Swarna Kalika” in Keonjhar, and “Veerangana Yojana” in Deogarh, focusing on preventing child marriage, promoting education, boosting self-esteem, and ensuring gender equality.
In Ganjam district, the “Nirbhaya Kadhi” (Fearless Bud) initiative has been launched to create a safe environment for girls by educating them about their rights. The program has covered 183,933 adolescent girls across 3,309 villages, aged between 11-18 years, through extensive awareness meetings. A satellite program, “Mo Gelha Jhia” (My Lovely Daughter), works towards combating sex selection and female foeticide. The impact of these initiatives has been remarkable, with Ganjam district being declared child marriage-free on January 3, 2022. From 2019 to October 2024, 953 child marriages were prevented, and 20 were stopped at the last moment. Around 450,000 students from 3,614 government schools took a public pledge to say ‘No’ to child marriage. To encourage reporting, an award of ₹5,000 is given to those who provide first-hand information about child marriage cases. The Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) recognized Ganjam’s efforts by felicitating the District Collector for proactive measures in safeguarding children’s rights.
In Dhenkanal district, the “Kalpana Avijan” scheme was launched to track and monitor adolescent girls aged 10-19 years and prevent child marriages through community committees. Since its launch, the initiative has successfully prevented 343 child marriages between 2019-2024 and enrolled 1,13,515 adolescent girls. As part of the campaign, 4,45,000 students from 3,425 schools publicly pledged to reject child marriage. The district administration has conducted awareness programs in 1,211 villages and established strategic forums for youth engagement and involvement of traditional leaders. On International Girl Child Week 2024, the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of Dhenkanal was felicitated for proactive efforts in child protection. Ms. Barsha Priyadarshini Sahoo from Odapada Block received recognition for resisting her own early marriage and spreading awareness. A rescued child marriage survivor turned mountaineer was declared the brand ambassador of the Kalpana Abhijan program, inspiring young girls to stand against forced marriage.
In Keonjhar district, the “Swarna Kalika” scheme has been instrumental in raising awareness about the harmful effects of child marriage through grassroots campaigns. Over 2,000 stakeholders, including local leaders, activists, and community members, have participated in these campaigns. The program also promoted the ADVIKA app, which aids in awareness-building and intervention efforts. Through consistent community-driven activities, the district witnessed a 50% reduction in child marriages by 2024, reinforcing the importance of collaborative efforts in tackling social issues.
In Deogarh district, the “Veerangana” initiative was introduced to equip adolescent girls with self-defense skills, helping them tackle harassment, eve-teasing, and molestation. A 30-day self-defense and martial arts training camp was held at Indoor Stadium, Deogarh, in collaboration with the State KUDO Association of Odisha, Cuttack. More than 500 adolescent girls aged 14-19 from various schools and colleges participated, alongside 300 guardians and teachers who received orientation on legal rights and protections for girls. As a result, 50 female master trainers were developed, who later trained 6,000 girls across 300 schools in rural Odisha. Due to its success, the Veerangana program was institutionalized in multiple schools and colleges. It also received the prestigious SKOCH Award as a semi-finalist and was recognized at the Deogarh District Festival for its outstanding impact.
Odisha’s implementation of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme has led to significant improvements in the lives of adolescent girls. By fostering education, gender equality, and self-defense training, the state has created a robust support system for young girls. With successful initiatives like Nirbhaya Kadhi, Mo Gelha Jhia, Kalpana Avijan, Swarna Kalika, and Veerangana, Odisha is setting an example for the rest of the country in promoting women empowerment and child protection.
