Odisha: 70 lakh SHG members to get Rs 1000 for uniform 

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha cabinet today approved Rs 1,000 for 70 lakh SHG members for uniform and Rs 2,000 for 1.5 lakh SHG leaders for purchasing blazers.

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.

This amount shall be deposited in the bank accounts of SHGs and Federations. This historic decision aims to preserve and promote the unique identity of SHG members and federation heads under Mission Shakti, reinforcing their role as change-makers and leaders within their communities, while also fostering an environment of professionalism in budding SMEs.

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.