By Itishree Sethy

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This large-scale expansion aims to enhance early childhood education, nutrition, and healthcare access for rural and underserved communities.

Among the districts, Kalahandi received the highest number of new centres with 90, followed by Balasore (77), Ganjam (72), Puri (68), Khordha (61), and Nayagarh (56). The initiative reflects the state government’s commitment to improving grassroots-level services under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme.

These centres will serve as vital hubs for delivering nutrition, immunization, preschool education, and health check-ups to children under six and pregnant or lactating women. The move is expected to significantly improve Odisha’s performance in child development indicators and reduce malnutrition rates.

The inauguration marks a milestone in Odisha’s ongoing efforts to modernize and expand its social welfare infrastructure, especially in remote and tribal regions.