BHUBHANESHWAR: As part of a comprehensive COVID-19 package, the Government of Odisha announced assistance of Rs 453.50 crore for women self-help groups (SHGs). Rs 169 crore will be utilized for construction of block level buildings for the women’s SHG federation. Rs 84.50 crore has been decided to make available as a resolving fund. The new buildings, which are set to be named as ‘Mission Shakti Bhawan’, will provide space for training and for women to sell their products.
The Government of Odisha will provide Rs 200 crore in interest subvention, which is expected to help women SHGs pay back interest on loans provided to them. A separate department has recently been carved out of the Women and Child Development Department, called as ‘Mission Shakti’. Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha, said that Mission Shakti is an organisation encompassing around 70 lakh women. They are the development force of the state.
According to Mission Shakti, it has organised nearly 70 lakh women into groups of 6 lakh women in all the Blocks and Urban Local Bodies of Odisha so far. The department is responsible for constant hand-holding and monitoring throughout the year. This is done to strengthen the activities of the existing women SHGs.