Odisha Mission Shakti Secy Defends Women Empowered Through SHGs Participating In Politics

Bhubaneswar: Empowerment is holistic. You cannot tell women that they can do business but not speak in a political space,” Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Mission Shakti, Sujata R. Karthikeyan told a presser on State Budget for Mission Shakti Department, on Monday.

She was responding to allegations that the ruling BJD engaged members of women SHGs in party works like meetings, rallies and processions and had been using them as vote banks. The party has in the past been accused of strengthening itself in the name of women empowerment.

“In recent panchayat elections, 60-70% women candidates emerged victorious though state has reserved 50% seats for them. Women are presidents in 21 Zilla Parishads. Mission Shakti gives a platform to women to play leadership role. Therefore, we should not criticise if women are participating in politics through this medium. It is a matter of their rights and choice,” she said.

Mission Shakti has transformed the lives of more than 70 lakh women by organising them into more than 6 lakh SHGs and empowering them through income-generating activities, she said.

The Secretary informed that the cabinet has decided to procure products and services worth Rs 5000 crore from SHGs. “We are linked to 15 departments with the latest being maintenance of all school under 5T and Kasurba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya. They have been assigned supervision charge. This year, we are also working in close coordination with the forest department on nursery raising, vermicomposting maintenance and awareness on forest fires,” she said.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced that the SHGs will be given work worth Rs 10,000 crore in the next five years, she added.

She further said that mobility is empowerment. “If a woman can travel on her own for meeting, she will feel empowered. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wants their voices to be heard. They need to come out of the kitchen and speak up for their rights. They should participate in a public space as a decision makers,” she said while responding to a query on budgetary provision of Rs 50 crore for a new initiative, ‘Mission Shakti Scooter Yojana’.

The Secretary said that the initiative, which supports electric scooters, will initially cover 2 lakh community support staff, who are also SHGs members and leaders, and EC members. “Under this scheme, full interest subvention is proposed on bank loans up to Rs 1 lakh. The interest will be spread over three years. There is a demand for it and it will prove to be a popular scheme as it will ensure mobility for them,” she added.

Earlier speaking to the media, Mission Shakti Minister Basanti Hembram said that the department has been allocated 2,554 crore, which is 27 per cent more over the budget estimate for 2022-23. “With continuous financial support, skill development training and new livelihood avenues, the state government has instilled confidence and a sense of pride in every woman. To propel women-led entrepreneurship at the SHG level, the Mission Shakti loan – State Interest Subvention Scheme – has been enhanced from Rs. 3 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh at 0% annual rate of interest. Rs. 10,000 crore credit linkage targeted and interest subvention benefits of Rs220 crores provisioned. Direct reimbursement of interest is being made to SHGs ’savings accounts from state,” she added.