BHUBANESWAR: Deputy chief minister Pravati Parida on Sunday urged industries in Odisha to prioritise the employment of women, emphasising the importance of gender equality in the workforce.
Speaking at the valedictory function of Resurgent Odisha 2024, organised by Utkal Chamber of Commerce and Industry Limited (UCCIL), Parida underscored the need for empowering women through recruitment in various industries across the state.
“Empowerment of women should be at the forefront of our industrial development. We must create opportunities for more women to be employed by the industries and support women entrepreneurs in expanding their businesses,” she said.
MSME minister Gokulananda Mallik highlighted the government’s ambitious goal of transforming Odisha into a 1.5 trillion dollar economy by 2047. “The MSME department is committed to extending all possible support to achieve this target,” he said.
Stating that substantial allocations have been made in the state budget to foster the development of MSMEs, particularly in the state’s unindustrialised districts, Mallik said though Odisha is rich in mineral resources, 12 districts remain unindustrialised. Investors and industrial bodies have a crucial role to play alongside the government in establishing industries in these districts, he said.
UCCIL president Brahmananda Mishra, chairman of Resurgent Odisha 2024 Prabodh Mohanty, president of Aditya Birla Group Ardhendu Mohapatra and former MD of Rourkela steel plant Sanak Mishra also spoke.