Bhubaneswar: Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Women & Child Development, Mission Shakti, Pravati Parida, on Wednesday released Rs 147.76 crore in interest subvention benefits, directly supporting 2,88,198 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) statewide.
This financial boost aims to ease the burden of loans and encourage further entrepreneurship among women.
As part of State-level Subhadra Shakti Vision Summit at Mission Shakti Bhawan here, Rs 45.71 crore was also distributed as Revolving Fund assistance to 23,536 SHGs from 26 districts. Representatives from two Khordha-based groups—Maa Mangala SHG and Sriram SHG—received symbolic cheques of Rs 30,000 each from the Deputy Chief Minister.
Additionally, 624 Gram Panchayat Level Federations (GPLFs) from 27 districts received Rs 189.57 crore under the Community Investment Fund (CIF), while 656 Area Level Federations (ALFs) from 15 districts got Rs 9.64 crore through the Vulnerability Reduction Fund (VRF). Senior officials handed over representative cheques, including Rs 35 lakh each to two Puri GPLFs and Rs 1.50 lakh each to two Jajpur ALFs.
In her address, Parida underscored the state government’s vision of transforming Odisha into a prosperous economy by 2036, with women at the forefront of this ambitious journey. She stressed the priority on turning every SHG member into a self-reliant entrepreneur through sustained support and opportunities.
Highlighting the success of the Lakhpati Didi initiative, the Deputy Chief Minister announced that Odisha has surpassed its target ahead of schedule and has successfully created 26,39,909 Lakhpati Didis, crossing the milestone of 25 lakh nearly a year before the stipulated timeline.
The summit, which brought together around 330 Executive Committee members of District Level Federations (DLFs) from all 30 districts of Odisha, served as a platform for in-depth discussions on women’s contributions to Odisha Vision-2036, strategies for nurturing Lakhpati, Mahalakshmi, and Crorepati Didis, promotion of women-led enterprises, strengthening of Producer Groups and Companies, improved market linkages, deeper financial inclusion, and replication of successful models from various districts.
Mission Shakti Commissioner-cum-Secretary Manasi Nimbhal, Director Monika Priyadarshini, SLBC Odisha General Manager and Convenor Pranab Kumar Biswas, along with senior officials, DLF representatives, bankers, and partner organisations, attended the event. District-level participants joined virtually.
