
App with SOS button, code for professors: Facing heat for student's death, Odisha govt's plan to keep women safe
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who announced the initiative, said it would be implemented in 16 state-run universities and 730 government and aided colleges.
The announcement came at a time when the Majhi government has been under fire from various quarters over the death of a college student, who set herself on fire after her complaints alleging sexual harassment by a professor were ignored. The incident put a spotlight on the safety of women in the state and triggered nationwide outrage.
Under the new initiative, every college and university will have an 'empowerment cell', which will be managed by women students. 'The cell will ensure training of female students in fields like self-defence, legal rights and mental health. It will also create awareness on various aspects of digital safety,' said Chief Minister Majhi.
A dedicated mobile app will also be launched to help women students raise their complaints with internal complaint committees and connect to mental health experts in case of stress and anxiety. It will also have facilities like an SOS button in case of emergency.
The state government has also decided to come up with a code of conduct for university and college professors. Professors will now have to take an online training module with focus on women's safety, gender equality and professional ethics, officials said.
A campaign, called SAFE (Shaktishree Actions for Female Empowerment), will be launched in colleges, under which self-defence training will be organised twice a year. It will also include workshops on women's safety and rights. The Chief Minister said this move would boost the confidence of women students.
State-run colleges and universities will now have to submit a campus safety report, highlighting the steps taken by authorities to ensure the safety of students.
Under the Shaktishree initiative, the Chief Minister said an adequate number of CCTVs would also be installed in all colleges and universities, and that a control room would be set up for monitoring.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hans India
3 hours ago
- Hans India
11 blocks under aspirational prog
Bhubaneswar: Eleven blocks of Odisha have been included in the Aspirational Block Programme of the NITI Aayog, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) on Tuesday. The programme focuses on improving governance to enhance the quality of life of citizens and service delivery in the remotest and less developed blocks of India. This is done through converging existing schemes, defining outcomes and monitoring them constantly to bridge gaps. Five blocks of Keonjhar district and six of Mayurbhanj district have been added to the programme. With this, a total of 40 blocks of Odisha have now become Aspirational blocks. As per the statement, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had requested the NITI Aayog to include these blocks under its programme. Accepting Majhi's request, the NITI Aayog has included these blocks in the Aspirational Programme. The new blocks that have been included in the programme are Champua, Jhumpura, Keonjhar Sadar, Patna and Telkoi of Keonjhar district and Behalda, Bijataala, Jamada, Kusumi, Rairangpur and Tiringi of Mayurbhanj district. A notification in this regard was issued by the NITI Aayog on Tuesday. The broad contours of the programme are convergence of Central & State schemes, collaboration of Central, State-level nodal officers and district collectors and competition among blocks through monthly delta ranking.


Hans India
3 hours ago
- Hans India
Two more OISF battalions to be created
Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has sanctioned 2,080 posts for the creation of two more battalions of Odisha Industrial Security Force (OISF), an official notification issued by the Home department said on Wednesday. This has been done because of the growing industrial activities in the State, official sources said. Of the new 2,080 posts, 1,944 will be regular, while 136 will be outsourced, the notification said, adding that with this decision, the OISF will have four battalions. The new battalions will be known as 3rd and 4th battalions, it said, adding that the total number of posts under the OISF will be 4,927. 'The State government is taking steps to focus on industrial growth in the industrialisation process in the State has accelerated after the Excellence Odisha-Make in Odisha 2025,' a CMO release said on Wednesday. Noting that the creation of an industrial atmosphere and peaceful industrial activities in the State is essential, Majhi sanctioned two more battalions under OISF, the CMO statement said. The State government, in the last eight months, has created as many as 21,000 new posts under the Odisha Police. The Home department said all positions in the new battalions will be filled through a transparent recruitment process. The process will adhere to relevant recruitment rules and the provisions of the ORV (Odisha Reservation of Vacancies) Act. Salaries will be based on the ORSP Rules, 2017, with other allowances sanctioned by the government. These will be effective from the date the posts are filled, it said. Various services for the new proposed battalions will be outsourced through service provider agencies. These services include cooks, sweepers, barbers and dhobis. An indicative manpower of 136 individuals is projected for these outsourced services across both new battalions, it said. In a related development, the State government has decided to establish 56 new courts across Odisha, a notification issued by the Law department said. Chief Minister Majhi has approved creation of 840 posts for the new courts. The sanctioned posts include 56 civil judges and other supporting staff.


Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
CM chairs meet as Odisha seeks mutual resolution of Mahanadi dispute
Bhubaneswar: In a move aimed at resolving the protracted Mahanadi water dispute, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi convened a high-level meeting on Wednesday, underscoring the necessity of mutual resolution with Chhattisgarh. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The CM highlighted the sluggish progress at the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal and advocated for direct discussions between and Chhattisgarh, with the Centre playing a supportive role. "The Central Water Commission can offer technical assistance, which could pave the way for resolving this long-standing issue and strengthen inter-state relations," Majhi said. This meeting follows earlier discussions in Feb at the All India State Water Resources Ministers' Conference in Rajasthan and in March during World Water Day in Bhubaneswar, where Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai and Majhi stressed the importance of a collaborative approach. High-level officials from both states continue to engage in dialogue, aiming for a breakthrough. Sources said besides chief secretary Manoj Ahuja, present advocate general Pitambar Acharya was among others present in the meeting, indicating that the govt is exploring solutions through mutual understanding, instead of fighting the case legally. During the tribunal's last hearing on July 18, Acharya informed the tribunal that informal discussions were ongoing between the two states to resolve the dispute. A govt official mentioned that Odisha govt aims to reach a consensus with the neighbouring state on key issues before the next hearing, scheduled for Aug 2. In response to a complaint from Odisha in 2016, the central govt had established the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal on March 12, 2018. In its petition, Odisha had argued that Chhattisgarh initiated several projects upstream of Hirakud dam, which could significantly impact downstream flow, particularly during the dry season. These projects could retain a substantial portion of the non-monsoon water flow, affecting the ecologically sensitive coastal and delta areas of the Mahanadi.