The State Government has decided to send over 50,000 members of women Self Help Groups (SHGs) on an exposure visit. Out of them, over 10,000 will be sent to different States to gain experience on economic development.
The women members of the SHGs will also visit different parts of the State. Panchayati Raj Minister Kalpataru Das told this paper that it is part of the Government move to help women SHGs to adopt best practices relating to economic development and gender empowerment.
The programme has already been approved by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The Chief Minister is reported to have decided to launch it from tribal dominated Sundargarh district.
The Minister said the States including Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, which have done better works in empowering the women SHGs, will be covered by those who will visit outside the State.
Odisha Livelihood Mission (OLM) will extend all support for the programme, he said.
Besides, a new scheme ‘Financial Assistance to Women Self Help Groups for Drudgery Reduction’ will be launched from Mayurbhanja district.
Under this programme, financial assistance of ` 10,000 will be provided to each eligible women SHG. It has been envisaged to cover one lakh women SHGs in both rural and Urban Areas.
The Mahila Vikash Samabaya Nigam has been identified to be the nodal agency for implementation of the scheme in the State, while Odisha Livelihood Mission (OLM) will be the nodal organisation to build the capacity of the women SHG members for implementation of the scheme in the field.
Official sources said OLM has already completed the capacity building of the district level resource persons.