Bhubaneswar: In a major push towards women-led development, the Government of Odisha on Tuesday rolled out substantial financial assistance for Self-Help Groups (SHGs) at a special programme held at Mission Shakti Bhawan.
Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Mission Shakti Pravati Parida disbursed interest subvention and financial support to lakhs of women SHGs, aimed at strengthening their livelihoods and promoting entrepreneurship across the state.
Addressing the gathering, Parida highlighted the evolving role of women in Odisha’s development. She said that women are no longer just beneficiaries but key drivers of social and economic transformation, contributing significantly to grassroots growth. She urged SHG members to utilise financial assistance effectively, reinvest wisely, enhance financial literacy, and remain cautious against cyber fraud.
During the programme, the Deputy Chief Minister also interacted virtually with SHG members and officials from districts including Koraput, Balasore, Kalahandi, Ganjam, and Keonjhar, reviewing the implementation of schemes at the grassroots level.
Officials informed that ₹208.35 crore was disbursed as interest subvention to 2,67,131 SHGs against their bank loans. In the current financial year (2025–26), a total of ₹724.39 crore has been reimbursed as interest subvention to over 3.8 lakh SHGs, reflecting the scale of support extended to women’s collectives.
To further strengthen grassroots institutions, additional financial assistance was provided under multiple schemes. This included ₹6.43 crore as Revolving Fund to 3,510 SHGs, ₹57.05 crore as Community Investment Fund to 180 Gram Panchayat Level Federations (GPLFs), and ₹1.40 crore to 101 Cluster Level Federations (CLFs) under the Vulnerability Reduction Fund.
