Odisha CM Inaugurates ‘Subhadra Shakti Mela’, Outlines Plan To Empower Women

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi inaugurated the ‘Subhadra Shakti Mela’ in Bhubaneswar on Saturday and highlighted the immense potential and strength of women in the state.

The event, organised by the state government at Janata Maidan in the capital city, aims to awaken the latent power of women, symbolising them as ‘Subhadra Shakti’—a force of prosperity and empowerment.

Speaking on the occasion, Majhi stated that the mela is not just an exhibition but a celebration of the success stories of Odisha’s mothers, sisters, and daughters. It showcases their talent, skills, and entrepreneurial spirit.

“Women’s empowerment is not just a slogan for our government; it is a movement. Our goal is to ensure that every woman, whether individually or in groups, becomes a skilled entrepreneur and achieves financial independence,” the Chief Minister said.

The nine-day fair features over 700 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) displaying more than 200 products across 300 stalls. The event highlights a wide range of products, including handicrafts, millet and organic products, food items, spices, terracotta, bamboo crafts, and more.

The CM also highlighted the state government’s commitment to creating 25 lakh ‘Lakhpati Didis’ (women earning over Rs 1 lakh annually) in the next three years, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision. To achieve this, the government has introduced the ‘Lakhpati Didi Sahayika Yojana’ this year. Additionally, the revolving fund for SHGs has been doubled from Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000, and the Community Investment Fund for Gram Panchayat-level federations has been increased from Rs 35 lakh to Rs 60 lakh.

He announced that the state government will provide interest subsidies on bank loans up to Rs 10 lakh for SHGs. In the financial year 2024-25, over 3 lakh SHGs will benefit from interest subsidies amounting to Rs 300 crore.

CM Majhi also spoke about the ‘Subhadra’ scheme, one of the most popular initiatives for women in Odisha. Under this scheme, over 98 lakh women have already received more than Rs 4,900 crore. The second installment of Rs 5,000 will be disbursed on March 8, 2025, coinciding with International Women’s Day. He envisioned a future where 1 crore women utilize these funds as capital to start businesses, significantly boosting Odisha’s economy.

The government plans to introduce several new initiatives under the Subhadra platform, including Kishori Subhadra, Subhadra Sanchay, Subhadra Sakhi, Subhadra Yatri, Subhadra Sangh or Club, Kuha Subhadra or Subhadra Call Center, Subhadra Sahayogi, Subhadra Pandit, and Suyogya Subhadra. A budget of Rs 10,145 crore has been allocated for the Subhadra scheme in the upcoming financial year.

Majhi visited the stalls set up at the mela and highly praised the products crafted by the women of Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who also attended the event, described the Subhadra Shakti Mela as a symbol of women’s empowerment and prosperity. She urged the women of Odisha to continue their hard work and contribute towards building a ‘Viksit Odisha’ by 2036.