Odisha Launches Training Programme to Strengthen 64 Women Producer Companies

Bhubaneswar: The Department of Mission Shakti has launched a state-level capacity-building programme to strengthen women-led Producer Companies and improve their business and management skills, with 320 Board of Directors (BoD) members from 64 companies set to receive training.

Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida inaugurated the two-day training programme at Mission Shakti Bhawan in Pokhariput, Bhubaneswar, on Monday. The initiative aims to help women entrepreneurs manage their enterprises more effectively, expand market opportunities and strengthen their financial independence.

Addressing the participants, Parida said women associated with Self-Help Groups (SHGs) had moved beyond individual production to form Producer Groups and Producer Companies, taking greater responsibility for managing their own businesses.

She said the State Government was supporting women entrepreneurs through financial assistance from the State Budget, interest-free bank loans, training, skill development and other initiatives to help them grow their enterprises.

The Department of Mission Shakti has organised the programme in collaboration with Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB), and the National Institute for Social Work and Social Sciences (NISWASS).

The training will be conducted in 13 batches from October 26 to December 22, 2026, covering 320 Board of Directors members from 64 Women Producer Companies. These include 63 Producer Companies under the Agriculture Production Cluster (APC) initiative and one Millet Producer Company.

In the inaugural batch, 25 Board of Directors members representing five Women Producer Companies from Angul district participated in the training.

The programme will focus on key areas such as Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) governance, leadership development, financial management, business planning and market linkages. The training is intended to equip women directors with the skills needed to make informed business decisions, manage finances and identify opportunities for growth.

Through the initiative, the department aims to strengthen the managerial and entrepreneurial capabilities of women-led enterprises, helping them improve incomes, expand their businesses and become more self-reliant.

The programme also seeks to support women in progressing from Lakhpati Didis to Mahalakhpati Didis, contributing to the growth of a stronger women-led rural economy in Odisha.