BHUBANESWAR: An exhibition exclusively for self-help groups under Mission Shakti was inaugurated by Women and Child Development Minister Tukuni Sahu here on Thursday.Aimed at promoting products prepared by women SHGs and providing more scope for economic independence to rural women, discussions will also be held on how to organise the mela at district-level in the coming days, the Minister said.
The Minister also launched Mission Shakti Mela mobile application, which is available on Play Store, to provide information to visitors regarding location of stalls, products and other amenities available at the ground.Directorate of Mission Shakti and Commissioner-cum-Director, Sujata R Karthikeyan said a place has also been identified at Gandamunda in the city where 70 permanent kiosks will be constructed in one complex to enable women groups sell their products throughout the year.
Sujata also informed that for the first time uniform packaging has been introduced to meet the environmental standards. “Food-grade poly pouches have been prepared and women will sell their items in similar packaging across the State. The packaging will also have their phone numbers so that any consumer or wholesaler can contact them directly to buy their products,” she said. There are about six lakh groups consisting of 70 lakh women in the State.
“The State Government has announced to provide a loan of up to `3 lakh to every women group at zero per cent interest and our aim is to increase the average loan amount of every group to `4 lakh,” Sujata said.
Government’s work to the tune of `5 crore will be awarded to the groups in five years, she added.Directorate of Mission Shakti is organising the mela at Exhibition Ground from December 5 to 16. As many as 213 stalls at the mela will display and sell various handloom, handicraft, non-timber forest produce (NTFP), food items, spices and non-farm products.
Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary, Suresh Chandra Mahapatra; Mission Shakti Advisor Lopamudra Baxipatra; Principal Secretary in Department of Women and Child Development and Mission Shakti Anu Garg and Director National Rural Livelihood Mission and CEO, ORMAS Rajesh Prabhakar Patil were also present.