UditVani, Jamshedpur : A high-level review meeting was held on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari to assess UNICEF’s efforts towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Jharkhand.
The Chief Secretary emphasized the need for continuous coordination between UNICEF and all relevant government departments and instructed that a system for regular monitoring of activities be established.
She noted that both UNICEF and the state government are working in similar domains for sustainable development, and hence, shared data can significantly aid in achieving SDG targets.
To ensure seamless coordination, she directed that fortnightly meetings be held with all concerned departments.
UNICEF was also encouraged to share field-level experiences, feedback, and suggestions during these meetings, especially concerning child-focused schemes run by the government. Monitoring and evaluation of outcomes should be a central focus, she added.
Tiwari urged UNICEF to study successful models from other states in the social sector and prepare a blueprint for their implementation in Jharkhand. She also instructed that data be integrated with the Planning Department’s portal to avoid mismatches.
Focusing on nutrition-related challenges, she asked UNICEF to prioritize the sustainable development of marginalized communities. She also praised the organization’s efforts in promoting hand hygiene awareness and called for similar collaboration with departments in sectors such as health, education, and social security to empower and inform citizens.
Earlier in the meeting, UNICEF gave a detailed presentation on its ongoing initiatives and achievements related to children in the state.
The meeting was attended by senior officials including secretaries Mast Ram Meena, Manoj Kumar, Mukesh Kumar, Umashankar Singh, Neha Arora, along with UNICEF’s Jharkhand Chief Kaninika Mitra and her team.
