By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Speaking on the 2023-24 Budget Provision, Sujata R. Karthikeyan, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Mission Shakti Department on Monday said that capacity building, comprehensive livelihood & skill development of SHGs aimed at graduation to SMEs. Trainings are programmed in key areas such as Agricultural Processing, Beauty, Digital and Business Management, Fashion Designing, Cafe & Food businesses, etc at Block Levels with a budgetary provision of Rs. 70 crores.
Karthikeyan said that 500 Mission Shakti Bazaars to be set up across the state in the next five years. State Government plans to provide Government business worth Rs 10,000 crores to SHGs over next five years. Rs. 370 crores has been provisioned for these activities. Revolving Fund @ Rs. 1 crore each has been provisioned for 30 District Level Federations (DLFs). Revolving Fund @ Rs. 50 lakh each has been Provisioned for 338 Block Level Federations (BLFs).
Administrative financial support has been provisioned for each District and Block Level Federation. Meeting Fees and Fixed Travelling Allowances for the Executive Committee (EC) members of the Gram Panchayat Level Federations (GPLFs) and BLFs have also been provisioned. A budgetary provision of Rs.266.57 crores has been made for all these facilities.
Construction of Mission Shakti Gruha in each GP and Wards, Mission Shakti Bhawans at Blocks & Districts across the state has been taken up to facilitate regular meetings & trainings of SHGs and to provide retail outlets. Similarly, office building for GPLFs along with market complex has been provisioned. Budgetary provision of Rs. 320 crores has been made, Karthikeyan said.
The Mission Shakti Department aims to transform the Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs), said Mission Shakti Minister Basanti Hembram here on Monday at a press meet in Geeta Govinda Sadan in Bhubaneswar on State Budget for Mission Shakti Deparment for the financial year 2023-24.
Hembram said the Department of Mission Shakti has transformed the lives of more than 70 lakh women by organising them into more than 6 lakh Self Help Groups and empowering them through income-generating activities.
With continuous financial support, skill development training and new livelihood avenues, State Government has instilled confidence and a sense of pride in every woman. Government have made budgetary provisions of Rs. 2,554 crores for this Department for the financial year 2023-24 which is 27 per cent more over the BE for 2022-23, she added.
Minister Basanti Hembram said that Mobility is empowerment. A new initiative ‘Mission Shakti Scooter Yojana’- has been started support for electric scooters for Community Support Staff and EC members. Under this scheme, full interest subvention is proposed on bank loans up to Rs. 1 lakh. A budgetary provision of Rs 50 crores has been made. Mission Shakti aims to transform SHGs to SMEs. Government have approved establishment of Industrial Parks for SHG entrepreneurs in each district. Rs. 150 crores have been provisioned for setting up industrial parks.
To propel women-led entrepreneurship at the SHG level, Government has enhanced the Mission Shakti loan – State Interest Subvention Scheme from Rs. 3 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh at 0% annual rate of interest. Rs. 10,000 Crores credit linkage targeted and Interest subvention benefits of Rs. 220 crores provisioned. Direct reimbursement of interest is being made to SHGs ’savings accounts from State, Minister said.
Among others, Dr. N. Thirumala Naik, CEO-cum- State Mission Director, Indramani Tripathy, Director, Information and Public Relations Department along with other senior officials were