Women to Drive Odisha’s Growth Story: ₹99.26 Crore Released for SHGs, Says Pravati Parida
Bhubaneswar: Reaffirming the state’s commitment to women-led development, Odisha Deputy Chief Minister and Mission Shakti Minister Pravati Parida announced a series of financial support measures aimed at empowering women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and strengthening rural livelihoods.
The state government released ₹99.26 crore as interest subvention support to 1,79,809 SHGs, providing a significant boost to women’s economic activities across Odisha.
Speaking on the occasion, Parida emphasised that women are emerging as key drivers of the state’s socio-economic transformation and will play a crucial role in Odisha’s growth story.
The government has earmarked ₹575 crore towards interest subvention for SHGs during the 2026-27 financial year, while a target of ₹20,000 crore in bank credit linkage has been set to expand financial inclusion and entrepreneurship opportunities for women.
With the latest disbursement, the total interest subvention released in the current financial year has reached ₹247.03 crore, benefiting thousands of women-led enterprises and community groups across the state.
In addition, the government sanctioned ₹151.28 crore under various community-based support initiatives.
This includes ₹29.31 crore as Revolving Fund for 15,526 SHGs, ₹113.80 crore as Community Investment Fund for 371 Gram Panchayat Level Federations, and ₹8.18 crore as Vulnerability Reduction Fund for 605 Area Level Federations.
To further strengthen livelihood opportunities, the Mission Shakti Department signed an MoU with Collective for Integrated Livelihood Initiatives (CINI) for the expansion of the Lakhpati Didi Programme, which aims to enhance income generation among rural women.
Another agreement was signed with Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA) to promote green entrepreneurship and renewable energy-based livelihoods among SHG members.
The initiatives underscore Odisha’s strategy of leveraging women-led institutions to accelerate economic development, improve financial independence, and create sustainable livelihood opportunities across rural communities.
