Bhubaneswar: The vibrant spirit of Odisha’s women entrepreneurs came alive today as Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi inaugurated the second edition of the State-level ‘Subhadra Shakti Mela’ at the IDCO Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar. The event, organised by the state government, celebrates women’s creativity, resilience, and enterprise while reaffirming the government’s commitment to building an economically self-reliant and empowered Odisha.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said that women are the true architects of the state’s progress. “Whether at the individual or group level, we are working with dedication so that every woman in Odisha achieves economic self-reliance and becomes a skilled entrepreneur. Our goal is to build a prosperous Odisha by 2036 and make it the growth engine of a developed India by 2047. This vision will be realised when the power of our millions of Subhadras awakens,” he said.
Majhi described the Subhadra Yojana as a distinctive model of empowerment, providing women with financial support, skill-building opportunities, and access to markets. He added that the scheme aims not only to uplift women economically but also to inspire confidence and leadership at the grassroots level.
This year’s fair features 300 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) from across Odisha, each showcasing a wide range of locally made products—from handicrafts and handlooms to food items and eco-friendly goods. The 20-day event, which runs until November 12, offers a platform for women entrepreneurs to connect with customers and institutions, promoting both livelihood opportunities and the cultural heritage of the state.
Invoking the spirit of Maa Subhadra, the Chief Minister said that Odisha’s mothers and sisters embody her qualities of love, courage, and determination. “Along with nurturing their families, they are now leading the way in building a developed Odisha,” he remarked, adding that the fair is a celebration of their journey from household production to state, national, and even international markets.
Taking inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on women-led development, Majhi noted, “Our government has adopted women’s empowerment as the fundamental basis of development. Empowering women strengthens not just families but society as a whole.”
Highlighting key achievements, he announced that Odisha has already created 17 lakh ‘Lakhpati Didis’ under the Lakhpati Didi Yojana and is working toward increasing this number to 25 lakh by 2027. To further strengthen women-led enterprises, the state government has doubled the Revolving Fund for SHGs, increased the Community Investment Fund from ₹35 lakh to ₹60 lakh for federations at the Gram Panchayat level, and introduced interest subvention on bank loans to encourage entrepreneurship.
Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, in her address, commended the participants and highlighted the fair’s growing impact. “Our Chief Minister has immense faith in the power of mothers to drive Odisha’s development. While the previous edition of the fair recorded ₹8 crore in business, this year’s event is expected to surpass ₹15 crore,” she said.
