Odisha CM Majhi pushes mission-mode action on health, nutrition, education
Synopsis
Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi used the PRAYASS governance platform to issue sharp directives on three fronts — slashing maternal and infant mortality, eradicating child malnutrition through the Suposhit Odisha Mission, and lifting foundational education quality. The meeting signals a shift toward mission-mode accountability in social-sector delivery across the state.
Key Takeaways
CM Mohan Charan Majhi chaired a PRAYASS review at Lok Seva Bhawan, Bhubaneswar on 8 October 2026 .
Three departments reviewed: Health and Family Welfare , Women and Child Development , and School and Mass Education .
Majhi directed mission-mode action to reduce maternal, infant, and neonatal mortality rates in Odisha.
The Suposhit Odisha Mission is to be intensified to address child stunting and wasting ; quality of Anganwadi nutrition supplements to be closely monitored.
Teachers directed to focus on core foundational education functions to improve student learning outcomes from the primary level.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg and Development Commissioner D.K.
Singh attended the high-level meeting.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday, 8 October 2026, chaired a high-level review under the PRAYASS (PRoactive Governance Attempt for Yielding Results and Advancing Social Sector) framework at Lok Seva Bhawan, Bhubaneswar, directing three key state departments to accelerate delivery on health, nutrition, and education at the grassroots level. The meeting underscored the government's intent to convert policy targets in these sectors into measurable, on-ground outcomes.
What PRAYASS Reviewed
The session covered the functioning of the Health and Family Welfare (H&FW), Women and Child Development (W&CD), and School and Mass Education (S&ME) departments. Majhi framed the exercise as a platform to identify complex social-sector challenges at the grassroots and ensure their 'swift and sustainable resolution.'
'Only through these three areas — health, nutrition and quality education — can a strong society be built,' CM Majhi said during the meeting.
Health and Maternal Care Directives
On the health front, Majhi directed the H&FW Department to take strong measures to reduce the maternal mortality rate to the lowest possible level. He also called for work 'in mission mode' to bring down infant mortality and neonatal mortality rates.
The Chief Minister particularly emphasised improving healthcare access for pregnant women and newborns in rural and remote areas. He also called for greater accountability among healthcare workers and strengthened emergency services at medical facilities across the state.
Tackling Child Malnutrition
Majhi reviewed the state of child malnutrition, including issues of stunting and wasting, and directed authorities to intensify the Suposhit Odisha Mission campaign to address these conditions and improve health outcomes for mothers and children.
The Chief Minister also stressed the need to monitor the quality of food and nutritional supplements distributed through Anganwadi centres across the state — a delivery channel that reaches millions of children and nursing mothers in Odisha.
Education Quality and Learning Outcomes
Turning to the education sector, Majhi advised the School and Mass Education Department to prioritise the quality of foundational education from the primary level. He said teachers must focus on core teaching functions to improve students' learning outcomes, signalling concern that administrative or non-academic duties may be diverting educators from the classroom.
Senior Officials Present
Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Development Commissioner D.K. Singh, and senior officials from all three departments attended the review. The PRAYASS platform is designed to be a regular, structured mechanism for the Odisha government to track social-sector performance beyond routine departmental reporting. Further review meetings are expected as departments act on the directives issued Thursday.
Point of View
Making Majhi's 'mission mode' framing notable — but the PRAYASS platform has been used for reviews before, and the test will be whether Thursday's directives translate into binding departmental targets with independent verification. The Suposhit Odisha Mission is not new; what changes, if anything, is the political pressure behind it. Directing teachers to shed non-academic duties is an intuitive fix, but without structural reform of how state education departments assign teacher time, it risks remaining an aspiration rather than a policy shift.
NationPress
8 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PRAYASS platform in Odisha?
PRAYASS stands for PRoactive Governance Attempt for Yielding Results and Advancing Social Sector. It is a structured, high-level review mechanism used by the Odisha government to assess and accelerate delivery of social-sector programmes at the grassroots level.
What did CM Majhi direct on maternal and infant mortality?
CM Majhi directed the Health and Family Welfare Department to take strong measures to reduce the maternal mortality rate to the lowest possible level and to work in mission mode to cut infant and neonatal mortality rates, with a particular focus on rural and remote areas.
What is the Suposhit Odisha Mission?
The Suposhit Odisha Mission is the state government's campaign to eradicate child malnutrition, including stunting and wasting, and to improve health outcomes for mothers and children. Majhi directed authorities to intensify the campaign and strengthen monitoring of nutrition supplements at Anganwadi centres.
What changes were directed for Odisha's schools?
Majhi advised the School and Mass Education Department to prioritise the quality of foundational education from the primary level. He directed that teachers focus on core teaching functions to improve student learning outcomes, signalling concern over non-academic duties distracting from classroom work.
Who attended the PRAYASS review meeting on 8 October?
Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Development Commissioner D.K. Singh, and senior officials from the Health and Family Welfare, Women and Child Development, and School and Mass Education departments attended the meeting chaired by CM Mohan Charan Majhi.
