Suparjya swain 
Bhubaneswar: In a significant move to enhance women’s empowerment across Odisha, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida announced on Monday that the state government will undertake a comprehensive restructuring of the Mission Shakti program. This initiative aims to connect every household with women’s self-help groups (SHGs), ensuring inclusive development and equitable representation.
Addressing the media, Deputy CM Parida highlighted that the previous administration had not fully implemented directives from the Union government to integrate each household into the SHG network, resulting in the exclusion of numerous families from the benefits of Mission Shakti. She emphasized that the current government is committed to rectifying these omissions by initiating a process to include all left-out households.
A key component of this restructuring involves overhauling the leadership of SHGs to promote transparency and grassroots participation. New appointments will be made for positions such as presidents and secretaries at various levels, including Gram Panchayat Level Federations (GPLF), Cluster Level Federations (CLF), and Block Level Federations (BLF). Individuals who have held senior posts for more than four years will be replaced to foster fresh leadership and prevent political exploitation.
Deputy CM Parida also pointed out that many SHGs previously operated without proper registration, leading to a lack of financial audits and accountability. The restructuring aims to address these issues by ensuring that all SHGs are registered and operate transparently, thereby enhancing their effectiveness in empowering women and supporting rural livelihoods.
The reorganization process is set to commence with the second phase of the social inclusion campaign under the Odisha Livelihoods Mission (OLM), scheduled from April 8 to April 22. This campaign will focus on integrating eligible women in rural areas who were previously left out of the SHG network.
This initiative reflects the Odisha government’s dedication to fostering an inclusive and transparent system that empowers women, promotes equitable representation, and strengthens financial oversight within the Mission Shakti program.
