Odisha Govt to Establish Breastfeeding Cabins in Offices, Public Places

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has instructed senior officials to establish breastfeeding cabins in offices and public places across the state.

Reena Mohapatra, Additional Secretary of the Women and Child Development Department, issued a directive to all department secretaries, directors and district collectors, urging them to implement these facilities to promote breastfeeding and enhance governance standards.

As per the order, secretaries and directors are responsible for setting up breastfeeding cabins in government offices, while district collectors will ensure the establishment of these cabins in public spaces and private institutions.

This initiative follows the BJP-led state government’s recent decision to grant one day’s paid menstrual leave for women employees, effective from August 16. Additionally, the state announced the ‘Subhadra Yojana’, offering financial assistance of ₹50,000 to women, set to launch on September 17.

According to the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5), 68.5% of infants in Odisha were breastfed within the first hour of birth, surpassing the national average of 41.8%. The state’s exclusive breastfeeding rate for the first six months is also higher at 72.9%, compared to the national figure of 63.7%.

The government’s recent directive aligns with the observance of World Breastfeeding Week, celebrated from August 1 to 7.