‘Shaktishree’ Coordinators to be Appointed in Odisha Colleges for Girls’ Safety

Bhubaneswar : In a decisive step toward bolstering student safety, especially for girls, the Odisha Higher Education Department has directed all colleges and universities to
appoint ‘Shaktishree’ coordinators. These coordinators—female faculty members—will serve as key points of support and safety monitoring for girl students across campuses.
The directive, sent via official communication to registrars and principals of all higher education institutions, comes in the wake of the disturbing Balasore FM incident that raised concerns over campus safety protocols. Key Objectives and Activities Include:
Support Services & Legal Aid Colleges are advised to facilitate access to support mechanisms for women in distress, including legal assistance in coordination with local authorities. Gender-Inclusive Learning Spaces Efforts will focus on eliminating bias and bullying while promoting safe and respectful workplaces for students and staff. Student Mentorship & Collaborations Institutions are tasked with mentoring Shaktishree Saathis and volunteers to lead peer engagement efforts. Collaboration with Shaktishree Apa, NGOs, and service The Cabinet greenlit amendments to the Odisha Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, to simplify tax provisions and curb evasion. Key changes include clarifying input tax credit eligibility for “Plant and Machinery,” introducing a track-and-trace mechanism for evasion-prone sectors like pan masala and sand mining, and mandating proportional reversal of input tax credit for credit notes. The amendments also allow greater flexibility in filing returns, define terms like “local fund” and “municipal fund,” and introduce a 10% pre-deposit requirement for penalty-related appeals

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