Bhubaneswar: Two key schemes under Women and Child Development Department on Wednesday received a five-year extension from the Odisha Cabinet, covering the period from 2026-27 to 2030-31. The decisions involve continuing the Jashoda initiative along with its Ashirbad sub-scheme, as well as the Malati Devi Prak Vidyalaya Paridhan Yojana, aimed at supporting vulnerable children and boosting early childhood education across the state. ADVERTISEMENTA total outlay of ₹296.99 crore has been approved for the Jashoda scheme and its Ashirbad component. Under Jashoda, beneficiaries can access support for technical education and coaching for competitive examinations, along with scholarships and assistance linked to schemes such as Sukanya Samriddhi and marriage support. Separately, the Cabinet cleared an allocation of ₹5,86,50,75,480 for extending the Malati Devi Prak Vidyalaya Paridhan Yojana over the same five-year span.