Pratap Jena

In May 2019, Jena was again elected to Odisha Legislative Assembly for the fifth consecutive time and became Cabinet Minister in Naveen Patnaik’s fifth consecutive government with important portfolios such as Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water, Law, Housing & Urban Development.

In January 2018, Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine was introduced in the state immunisation programme for the first time. The vaccination drive covered about 1.13 crore children across Odisha between the ages of nine months and 15 years. The 5-week long campaign involved 70,367 schools, 47,689 ASHAs, 71,129 Anganwadi workers, 8665 health workers and officials of state government departments and 37,160 outreach vaccination sessions.

On 26 February 2018 Government of Odisha launched Khushi scheme (meaning “Happiness” in Odia) to provide free sanitary pads to girl students in Odisha. It was launched by the Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik. The Government of Odisha will spend 70 Crore Indian rupees annually for running this program in the state.

On 15 August 2018, Biju Swastya Kalyan Yojana was launched by Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik. Under this scheme around 70 lakhs families will get free health services in all state government health care facilities starting from Sub center level up to district headquarter hospital level. A budget of 250 crore was sanctioned by the state government. Annual health coverage of Rs 5 lakhs per family and 7 lakhs per women members of the family will be provided under this scheme at any hospital of India.

His second stint as a minister came during the party’s current tenure in the government. In a major reshuffle of the State Cabinet on May 7, 2017, Jena was assigned the portfolios of Health & Family Welfare and Law departments. The charge of Information and Public Relations was added to his portfolio during another reshuffle on May 3, 2018.

In June 2017, the Odisha state government took initiative to completely sponsor the expenses for separating Craniopagus twins Jaga-Balia. The state health department, in co-ordination with AIIMS and doctors from across the globe, ensured that the operation (successful in very rare cases) was a complete success. The surgery received major media attention and was considered as a medical marvel.

In 19 December 2017, Odisha government launched various pro people health schemes such as (1) NIDAAN for all types of essential diagnostic services provided free of cost to all categories of patients in all public health facilities as per its level from Sub-Centers to Medical Colleges and Hospitals. Annually over 1.50 crores patients requiring diagnostic services at public health facilities are being benefited. (2) SAHAY for free Dialysis Services. Annually about 50 thousand patients are being benefited. (3) AMA CLINIC for Healthcare services in Urban clinics including fixed day specialists services in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Medicine and Geriatrics, Eye-care, Physiotherapy and Psychiatric. Urban population over 45 lakhs in 27 towns will be benefited under the scheme. (4) ANMOL to equip the ANMs with the latest technology, the government decided to provide the ANMOL tablet computers to all the ANMs. It will help in providing real-time service to the beneficiaries, especially pregnant women, mothers and newborns in the state.

Pratap Jena (Odia: ପ୍ରତାପ ଜେନା ) is an Indian politician and the Cabinet Minister in the Sixteenth Odisha Legislative Assembly with Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water, Law, Housing & Urban Development portfolios. He is elected as the Member of Legislative Assembly for the fifth consecutive time from Mahanga constituency of Kendrapara (Lok Sabha constituency). He is also the General secretary of the farmers wing of Biju Janata Dal, Biju Krushak Janata Dal. Earlier, he had served as the Minister of School and Mass Education during his third term (2009-2012) and as the Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Law and Information & Public Relations in his fourth term (2017-2019) in the assembly.

Pratap Jena took oath as Minister of School and Mass Education after his party’s victory in the 2009 assembly elections. He continued on this post till August 2012 after which he was replaced as a part of ministerial reshuffle.

(i) Chairman, Committee on Estimate, OLA
(ii) Member, Odisha Legislative Assembly (MLA) representing from Mahanga Assembly Constituency from 2009 till date.
(iii) Chairman, Paper-laid-on table Committee, Odisha Legislative Assembly.
(iv) Minister, School & Mass Education, Govt. of Odisha, Bhubaneswar.(2009–2012)
(v) Member, Odisha Legislative Assembly(MLA) Representing from Kissan Nagar Assembly Constituency from 2004–2009.
(vi) MLA, Representing from Kissan Nagar Assembly Constituency from 2000–2004.
(vii) Chairman, District Planning Committee, Anugul.
(viii) Member General Council, NCERT.
(ix) Chairman, Orissa Small Industries Corporation (OSIC), Cuttack.
(x) Chairman, Standing Committee of Industries, Steel & Mines, Forest & Environment, Transport & Commerce, Planning & Co-ordination Department, Govt. of Odisha of OLA.
(xi) President, Student’s union, MS Law College, Cuttack(1990–91).
(xii) President, State Chhatra Janata Dal, the Student Wing of Janata dal (1992–97).
(xiii) State President, Biju Chhatra Janata Dal, the Student wing of BJD (1997–2002).
(xiv) Science Society Secretary of Ravenshaw College, Cuttack. (1985–86)
(xv) Member Telephony Advisory Committee (TAC) for Cuttack district.
(xvi) Member, Railway users Consultative Committee of Khurda division.
(xvii) Assurance Committee, Amenities Committee of OLA(2000–04).
(xviii) Member, Library Committee of OLA.
(xix) Member, Public Accounts Committee of OLA.
(xx) Member, Petition Committee of OLA.
(xxi) Member, Governing Body of Board of Secondary Education, Orissa, Cuttack.
(xxii) Member, OSRTC Board, Bhubaneswar.
(xxiii) President, All Orissa Electrical Employees(GED) Association.
(xxv) President Employee’s Union of Seeds Corporation of Orissa, Bhubaneswar.

In 2000, he contested the Odisha Legislative Assembly elections, contesting from Kissan Nagar constituency. He defeated Bira Kishore Parida of INC with a margin of 17,695 votes. He was re-elected from Kissan Nagar in 2004 Assembly elections, defeating Gurupada Nanda of INC by 24,768 votes. In 2009, he was elected for the third time, this time from Mahanga constituency, defeating Shaik Matlub Ali of INC by a margin of 29,220 votes. He became the School and Mass Education minister during this term. He was re-elected from Mahanga in 2014 Assembly elections, defeating Sarada Prasad Pradhan (Independent candidate) by 27,874 votes. In 2019, he was again re-elected from Mahanga with a margin of 29,585 votes and became the Cabinet Minister in Naveen Patnaik’s ministry with important portfolios such as Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water, Law, Housing & Urban Development.

On 29 May 1994, Pratap married Smt. Dezy Jena in Cuttack. The couple have a son and a daughter.

Jena joined student politics in 1985 making his debut as the secretary of the Science Society of Ravenshaw College. He was elected as president of the students’ union of Madhusudan Law College, Cuttack in 1990–91. He was the president of State Chhatra Janata Dal (student’s wing of Janata Dal) from 1992 to 2002, having been appointed to the position by Late Biju Patnaik.

Jena was born on 3 June 1966 in Cuttack to Shri Dushasan Jena and Smt Saraswati Jena. He studied at Secondary Board High School, Cuttack. Later he did his B.Sc. and M.Sc. (Mathematics) from Ravenshaw University followed by L.L.B. from Madhusudan Law College, Cuttack and PGDM from Cuttack.