What You Need to Know About Odisha's Orphan Survey 2025 Initiative

Odisha Launches Orphan Survey 2025 to Protect Child Rights
Bhubaneswar: In an effort to enhance child welfare and uphold their rights, Odisha has initiated the Orphan Survey 2025. This initiative involves Anganwadi workers conducting home visits to identify orphaned children and collect essential data using a standardized form. The survey targets children who have lost both parents, as well as those living with a single parent who is either significantly disabled or suffering from chronic illness, rendering them unable to support the family. It will encompass children and adolescents born on or before June 1, 2025, who are under 18 years old. The gathered information aims to ensure appropriate care, protection, and future planning tailored to the needs of these children. The survey commenced on July 11 and is set to run until July 21. According to the state government's 'Yashoda Scheme,' such surveys are mandated to occur every four years throughout Odisha.
To facilitate this process, the Women and Child Development department has distributed Orphan Survey Guidelines to all districts. A standardized form has been created at the state level, and master trainers have been educated at the district level, who subsequently trained field-level trainers. These trainers have oriented Anganwadi workers on the survey methodology. The data collected by Anganwadi workers will undergo verification by supervisors before being submitted to the District Child Protection Unit through the Child Development Project Officer. Each child's details will then be uploaded to the 'Aamari Sishu' (Our Children) portal. The Odisha State Child Protection Society will compile and analyze this data to generate a comprehensive report.