To provide working mothers with a conducive atmosphere to work, the Odisha government has directed all the authorities, both government and private sectors, to open breastfeeding cabins on their premises and in public places.

The rooms will have clean environment and provide space for lactating mothers to breastfeed their infants.

According to the government, the objective of opening the breastfeeding centre is to help nursing mothers balance their professional commitments and personal responsibility.

The Women and Child Development Department issued a letter to this effect to all concerned authorities and directed them to implement the government directives on this issue.

By providing comfortable spaces for breastfeeding,
the initiative aims to reduce stress and anxiety among working mothers, boost productivity and foster a healthier work-life balance,” said the official.

The district collectors will ensure that breastfeeding cabins are set up in public places and private institutions.

Earlier, the Odisha government announced one-day paid menstrual leave for employees working in both the government and private sectors.

This menstrual leave is an optional holiday. Female employees can take leave on the first or second day of their menstrual cycle.

In order to make a dent in the women voter base of the BJD, the Mohan Charan Majhi government has also announced to give ₹10,000 to each eligible woman for five years.

Puri temple budget

The Puri Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTA) on Friday approved the temple’s annual budget of ₹ 413 crore for the financial year 2024-25.
This is a surplus budget of
₹ 103 crore.

Besides, the temple will receive a corpus fund of ₹ 500 crore from the state government during the fiscal year 2024-25. The committee has also decided to digitize all Jagannath Temple records.

Referring to mismanagement during the Pahandi (procession) of Lord Balabhadra during Ratha Yatra, SJTA chief administrator Arabinda Padhee sought an apology and said the inquiry report on Lord Balabhadra’s procession mishap was found “incomplete”.