CM attends Mission Shakti convention, grants Rs 1cr in Kendrapara

Kendrapara: Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik Sunday visited Kendrapara Sunday and addressed a huge gathering of women Self Help Groups (SHGs) as a part of Mission Shakti Samavesh (convention).

The CM whole heartedly granted Rs 1 crore for Mission Shakti Bhawan in the district. He also provided Rs 15,000 seed money to several newly formed SHGs and felicitated the women. Many Block-Level SHG Mahasanghs (federations) were also provided with Rs 25 lakh revolving fund assistance.

These SHGs are involved in a score of activities like making food items, spices, fabrics, LED bulbs, running buses under Biju Gaon Gadi, supplying take-home ration under the ICDS programme, electricity metre reading, civil construction, etc and recently the Chief Minister has also entrusted them with the job of paddy procurement.

The CM first arrived at the Siddha Mahapurusha Ground located in Baro village under Kendrapara tehsil at around 11.30 am. Over 1 lakh women attended the conclave from Cuttack and Kendrapara districts today. Tight security arrangements were made by the district administration in and around the venue to avoid any untoward incident.

Addressing the gathering, the CM said, “Kendrapara is the Karma Bhumi of Biju Babu. In the 1990s, Biju Babu showed the way to the entire nation. It is he who for the first time in India implemented 33 percent reservation for women in the three tier Panchayati Raj institutions and government jobs.”

“I would like to announce here at Kendrapara, the Karma Bhumi of Legendary Biju Babu that Odisha will send 33 per cent women to Parliament in the coming election. The women of Odisha will lead the way in women empowerment in India. If India is to lead the world, If India is to be an advanced Nation like America and China, then women empowerment is the only answer. I call upon all the National parties that they should be true to their words, and must follow what they are propagating for women empowerment. This announcement at Kendrapara, the sacred land of Lord Baladevjew, will create history in the journey of women empowerment in India,” he concluded.

Worth mentioning, the CM had announced loans for the SHGs at zero per cent interest January 5, this year. Every SHG is eligible to avail loans up to Rs 3 lakh at zero per cent interest rate. Also Rs 3,000 assistance is being provided to each of the seven lakh women SHGs for digital empowerment as during the ‘Make in Odisha Conclave’ in November last year at Bhubaneswar, the Chief Minister had promised smartphones to all the women SHGs.

As per the State Government sources, there are nearly 7 lakh SHGs across Odisha by means of which 70 lakh women have been empowered.

PNN