WCD Dept Inks MoU With GAA & SIRD: Training Centre to be Upgraded as Centre of Excellence

Bhubaneswar, October 4: Women and Child Development (WCD) Department is going to add a new leaf to the women's empowerment. Odisha government always gives merit based opportunity to the women and involves them in the decision making process as well. By respecting their dignity, Government is engaging women in the structural work of the State, opined Basanti Hembram, Minister, Women and Child Development.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Department of WCD, Gopabandhu Administrative Academy (GAA) and State Institute for Rural Development (SIRD) and Panchayati Raj in a meeting held at the Women Child Development Training Centre (Home Economics Training Centre).

The Minister, attending the programme as Chief Guest, said that at present the Technical and Vocational Training is very essential. She thanked the Gopbandhu Administration Academy and State Institute for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj and Women and Child Development Department for this collaboration. The quality of education and training system will improve through this collaboration and ultimately transform the Women and Child Training Center into Center Of Excellence, she added.

The MoU was signed by S. Jagruti, Chief Instructress, Women and Child Development Training Center, Aradhana Das, Special Secretary and Additional Director, Gopbandhu Administrative Academy, and Dharanidhar Nanda, Additional Secretary, State Institute for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj in presence of the Minister. A Video Film on WCD Training Centre was also screened on the occasion.

On this occasion, Shubha Sarma, Commissioner-cum-Secretary has stated that it is a matter of honour for us to be associated with these two important institutions. Through this understanding, the administrative skills and professional attitude of the women of the state can also be strengthened. By transforming the Women and Child Development Training Center into a State Training Center of Excellence, the Anganwadi workers can be trained by subject experts and competent administrators. Dharnidhar Nanda, Additional Secretary of State Institute for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj said that the understanding will definitely improve the performance of women at the Panchayat level. "Only through joint cooperation we can transform the Women and Child Development Training Center into a Training Center of Excellence," said S. Jagruti, Chief Instructress of the training center.

Durgaprasad Maharana, Additional Secretary, Women and Child Development Department delivered the welcome address and Swamyaprabha Muduli, Under Secretary, WCD department offered vote of thanks.