Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has announced a new scheme, “Lakhpati Didi Sahayika Yojana,” aimed at providing long-overdue remuneration to over 62,000 community support staff across the state. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi made the announcement in the State Assembly, stating that the scheme would ensure that the pending salaries of these workers are paid retrospectively from April 2024.
Under the initiative, the government will cover the remuneration costs temporarily and provide grants to Gram Panchayat Level Federations (GPLFs) to manage future payments. The move comes as a major relief for community support staff, including Community Resource Persons for Community Mobilization (CRP-CM), Master Book Keepers (MBK), Bank Mitras, and Prani Mitras, who have gone without pay for ten months due to financial constraints at the GPLF level.
The Odisha Livelihood Mission (OLM), implemented since April 1, 2012, under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), has been working to improve rural livelihoods by organizing self-help groups (SHGs) for women. These SHGs operate at village and panchayat levels, offering social and economic support to their members.
To strengthen these groups, 62,341 community support staff were recruited to assist in mobilization, financial record-keeping, and rural banking. The OLM had initially provided funds for their remuneration for five years from April 1, 2019, but financial issues resulted in unpaid salaries.
Chief Minister Majhi blamed the previous government for failing to ensure financial stability for the GPLFs, leading to months of hardship for community support staff. “Our government is committed to supporting these workers who play a crucial role in women’s empowerment and rural development,” he said.
In addition to addressing the salary crisis, the Lakhpati Didi Yojana is designed to boost economic growth among SHG women, helping them achieve an annual income of ₹1 lakh. The government has set a target of creating 2.5 lakh ‘Lakhpati Didis’ by 2027, encouraging financial independence and entrepreneurship among rural women.
“Women’s empowerment is at the core of our vision for a prosperous Odisha. By making community support staff self-reliant and ensuring their financial stability, we are taking a crucial step towards a stronger rural economy,” CM Majhi added.
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