State level Consultation held on Child Labour Free Odisha for a Bikashit Odisha

Bhubaneswar (25/10/2025): For a Bikashita Odisha every child’s childhood should be safe, joyful, and full of opportunities to learn and grow.

To achieve this cooperation and coordination between various government departments, police, NGOs, media, business and corporate houses, strengthening child protection systems at various levels, raising massive awareness, and working together is necessary was said by dignitaries joining the State Level Consultation on “Eradication of Child Labour: Towards a Child Labour Free Bikasita Odisha – Strengthening Collaboration and Action”.

This consultation brought together government officials, civil society organizations, child rights experts, academics and teachers to reaffirm their collective commitment towards eliminating child labour and building a just and inclusive “Bikashita Odisha”, where every child can fully enjoy their childhood.

This consultation was organised by People’s Cultural Centre (PECUC), a leading voluntary organisation of Odisha in collaboration with AEIN, in cooperation with Labour and ESI Department, Government of Odisha at Hotel Presidency, Bhubaneswar on Saturday. Child Rights networks such as CACL, NACG EVAC India, OACR and RTE Forum also joined hand for organising this consultation.

Inaugurating the consultation Dr.Laxmidhar Mishra, Former Union Labour Secretary and Former Senior Advisor, ILO threw light on the various challenges and oppertunities that need to be addressed for making a child labour free Bikashita Odisha and also suggested to make the age determination process of children engaged in child labor child-friendly.

Chandana Das, Member, OSCPCR, said, "We all have to work together to make Odisha child labour free.

Madan Mohan Paika, Additional Labour Commissioner, Labour & ESI Department Government Odisha highlighted the efforts of the Labour Department for the rescue and rehabilitation of child labourers.

Dr.Bhakta Bandhu Acharya, Senior Technical Consultant, Labour & ESI Department, Government of Odisha, Dr.Purnachandra Brahma, Assistant Director, SCERT, Suryamani Tripathi, OPS (Retd), President, Odisha Retired Police Officers Welfare Association, Jatindra Dash, Senior Journalist, also spoke on this occasion.

The inaugural session was chaired by Dr.Minakshi Panda, Chairman, PECUC.

Ranjan Kumar Mohanty, Secretary PECUC gave the welcome note and shared the purpose of this workshop.

Joining this Consultation Dr.Amita Patra, Deputy Director, State Institute of Rural Development spoke about various requisite for creating child friendly panchayat.

Sannyas Behera, Deputy Secretary, SSEPD Department, discussed the SAHAYA scheme, while Subrat Mishra, Deputy Director, SIRD, laid special emphasis on the establishment and strengthening of inclusive institutions.

Among others Biswanath Tarai, OES-I, Joint Director, Directorate of Elementary Education, Harihar Nayak, Member Child Welfare Committee, Cuttack, Subrat Mishra, Deputy Director, SIRD, Pachyatiraj Deptt.

Government of Odisha, Ahuti Baral, Former Principal DIET, Anuradha Mohanty, Executive Director, PECUC, Anil Pradhan, Convenor, RTE Forum, Odisha, Sukant Nayak, Convenor, CACL, Odisha, Ubachak Mohanty, National Board Member NACG EVAC India, Ananga Negi, EC Member, Odisha Alliance for Child Rights spoke on this occasion.

The CSO representatives from SANYOG, ADARSA, PECUC, SOCH, SAKAR shared their various initiatives for the eradication of child labour.

Prevention of children to join labour force, effective implementation of laws & legislations, guidelines, strengthening families and communities, ensuring enrolment & retention in school system was emphasised by the speakers.

The programme was facilitated by Ratna Dash, Jyotishankar Mohanty & Puja Panda.