Expressing happiness that the ladies of self-help teams are going forward for publicity visits to Dubai and Singapore, the Chief Minister stated that increasingly ladies will go overseas sooner or later.
(Image: News18)
Speaking on the programme, CM Patnaik stated, “Mission Shakti is my favourite programme. My government is continuously working for the dignity and welfare of women”
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday launched the Mission Shakti loan scheme for the women of 70 lakh self-help group (SHG) in Odisha, without interest up to Rs 10 lakh, uniform and blazer support for Mission Shakti women and interest repayment scheme of Rs 145 crore, at a programme in Bhubaneswar.
The CM also released an amount of Rs 145 Crore towards interest refund. It was also announced that around 5,000 Mission Shakti Bazaars will be set up in the state in the next five years.
Speaking at the programme, CM Patnaik said, “Mission Shakti is my favourite programme. My government is continuously working for the dignity and welfare of women.”
He further said that the Mission Shakti Maa has provided government business assistance of Rs 8,000 crore through a special livelihood initiative. “Women are now partners in various programmes of the Odisha government and are involved in the formation of new Odisha. Today Mission Shakti Ma’s good work has reached several regions of the country and even abroad,” he added.
Expressing happiness that the women of self-help groups are going ahead for exposure visits to Dubai and Singapore, the Chief Minister said that more and more women will go abroad in the future.
“Today women self-help group members have joined the corporate world and will be doing business. That is why Rs 730 crore rupees have been arranged for uniforms and blazers for the 70 lakh self-help group members and 1.5 lakh SHG members of the state. A total of Rs 145 crore was distributed as interest subvention directly to bank accounts of more than 2.75 lakh SHGs. In the last 5 years, Rs 925 crore has been returned to SHGs as interest subvention,” CM Patnaik said.
On this occasion, the CM also launched the interest refund scheme at Maa Yamuna SHG in Bargarh district and gave a check to Maa Vimala SHG in Ganjam district.
The Commissioner-Cum-Secretary of Mission Shakti, Sujata Raut Karthikeyan said that the interest-free loan system has strengthened the hands of mothers and empowered them financially
Notably, this year, the SHGs have received a loan amount of Rs 15,000 Crore and in the next five years they will be given a loan amount of Rs 75,000 crores.
