70 Lakh SHG Members In Odisha To Get Financial Aid For Uniforms; Cabinet Approves Rs 730 Cr Scheme

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha cabinet on Friday approved a proposal to provide Rs 1,000 each for 70 lakh members of self-help groups (SHG) for uniform. An amount of Rs 2,000 each will be provided for 1.5 lakh SHG leaders for purchasing blazers.

As per the decision taken at the Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the state government will spend Rs 730 crore for the purpose.

The Cabinet has approved financial assistance towards provisioning of uniform for all 70 lakh SHG members across the state and more than 1.5 lakh Executive Committee (EC) members of Gram Panchayat Level Federations (GPLFs), Block Level Federations (BLFs) & District Level Federations (DLFs) and Management Committee (MC) members of Area Level Federations (ALFs) under ULBs with a budgetary allocation of Rs. 730 crore during the FY 2023-24.

The financial assistance to all Mission Shakti SHG members at Rs.1,000 per SHG member will be provided to purchase uniform of choice as per their group decision.

Mission Shakti, spearheaded by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has evolved to empower women and redefine their societal roles, transforming SHGs into formidable forces driving economic growth and social change.

Under the 5T initiative of the state, Mission Shakti has become a vibrant women empowerment model in the country. The State Government’s commitment to women’s empowerment via Mission Shakti has boosted their entry into sunrise sectors, fostering economic independence, said department secretary Sujata R Karthikeyan.

Investments in SHG infrastructure and innovative convergence models among state departments have bolstered women’s entrepreneurial efforts.