The Odisha government on the occasion of Independence Day on Thursday announced one-day paid menstrual leave for employees in the government and private sectors.

Besides, the Mohan Charan Majhi government will give ₹50,000 to women under the Subhadra scheme. While focusing on women’s development and farmers’ welfare, the BJP government said it wanted to make Odisha a 500 billion-dollar economy by 2036.

After hoisting the national flag at the Millennium City of Cuttack, deputy chief minister Pravati Parida said: “This menstrual leave will be an optional holiday. As a woman, I feel the pain of being a woman in the workplace. Now, female employees can take leave on the first or second day of the menstrual cycle. The women employees in the government and private sector will avail the leave.”

Bihar was the first state in India to sanction menstrual leave to its employees in 1992. Later, a few other states implemented it.

Hoisting the national flag in Bhubaneswar, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced that the Subhadra scheme would be implemented on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday, September 17. “The budget allocation has been made for its implementation,” he said.

Stating that Odisha had embarked on the path of change, Majhi raised the slogans of Odia Asmita (Odia Pride) and Swabhiman (self-respect), the BJP’s campaign plank during the Assembly elections. “I don’t believe in showing big dreams to people. I am khanti (real) Odia. I don’t believe in making false promises, but I vow to fulfil all the promises that I have made. In the first 60 days of my governance, I fulfilled my promise of opening four gates of the Puri Shree Jagannath Temple and the Ratna Bhandar (treasure trove).

Majhi also discussed his government’s target of making Odisha a 500 billion-dollar economy by 2036, when the state would observe 100 years of its formation.

He talked about making Odisha a 1.5 trillion-dollar economy by 2047.

“We will script a new history focusing on ‘Odia asmita’ and ‘swabhiman (self-respect)’ and reach the peak of development.”

Majhi said his government was working on two vision documents — one for 2036 when the state would celebrate 100 years of its formation and another for 2047 when the country would celebrate 100 years of Independence.

The chief minister announced that his government would provide pensions, free health care and free bus passes for those who were jailed under the MISA ( Maintenance of Internal Security Act) Act in 1975.

On the issue of employment, Majhi said the state government was taking steps to fill 1.5 lakh vacant posts and would create extensive employment opportunities for the youth over the next five years.

Majhi promised to develop 500 tribal villages with all amenities under the Ideal Tribal Village scheme.

He said there would be phenomenal changes in the field of sports. “A new multipurpose stadium will come up at a cost of ₹1000 crore. It will have an indoor velodrome, mountain biking, swimming pool, football ground, archery arena, badminton court and fitness park,” he said.

Majhi pledged his support to the Indian Hockey team, both men’s and women’s, till 2036 and announced that it would launch “Khel Ratna Khoja Abhiyan” to identify and nurture the state’s raw, talented sportspersons.