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United News of India

Jharkhand to institutionalise UNICEF coordination for SDG tracking

Ranchi, July 1 (UNI) The Jharkhand government is moving to institutionalise its collaboration with UNICEF through a structured review and data-sharing mechanism aimed at accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari, the state directed UNICEF to establish a system for continuous assessment and alignment with departmental initiatives. Emphasising the need for strategic coordination, the chief secretary instructed UNICEF to hold fortnightly meetings with all relevant departments. The aim is to ensure regular feedback loops, enhance programme synergy, and avoid duplication of efforts across sectors such as health, education, nutrition, and social security. Highlighting the overlapping objectives of the state and UNICEF in areas of sustainable development, the chief secretary said both must share and synchronise data for evidence-based planning. A shared portal, to be developed in collaboration with the Planning and Development Department, was proposed to address issues of data mismatch and improve real-time monitoring. UNICEF was also tasked with preparing a blueprint to adapt successful social sector models from other Indian states. The blueprint is expected to provide implementable strategies for Jharkhand based on comparative best practices in child health, nutrition, education, and community engagement. The chief secretary directed that UNICEF bring field-level insights, experiences, and recommendations into the regular review meetings to help refine ongoing state programmes. 'UNICEF should examine how to improve coordination with government schemes for children and enhance delivery on the ground,' she said, urging a sharper focus on monitoring systems and measurable outcomes. A special emphasis was laid on reaching out to the marginalised communities and tackling malnutrition and sanitation-related challenges. The state reiterated its focus on sustainable and inclusive growth, especially for vulnerable groups. Acknowledging UNICEF's contribution to hand hygiene awareness, the chief secretary encouraged the agency to extend similar collaborative efforts across other sectors such as maternal health, child protection, and social welfare. 'UNICEF must continue building awareness in coordination with government departments to empower communities in multiple dimensions,' she said. Earlier, UNICEF shared a detailed presentation outlining its initiatives and outcomes in the state, particularly in child-centric domains. The review covered ongoing programmes, grassroots engagement models, and thematic focus areas aligned with the SDGs. The meeting was attended by secretaries Mast Ram Meena, Manoj Kumar, Mukesh Kumar, Umashankar Singh, Neha Arora, and UNICEF Jharkhand chief Kaninika Mitra along with other officials from the organisation. UNI XC SSP