Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The empowerment of women has been one of the main characteristics of Odisha’s transformation narrative. The Government of Odisha has given women-centric policies and programmes importance because it acknowledges the role that women play in the growth and transformation of societies and local communities.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced the transformation of SHGs into SMEs, taking the vision a step further after strengthening over 70 lakh women under nearly 6 lakh Self-Help Groups (SHGs) through training and skilling, promoting livelihoods, and creating opportunities through the unique government convergence model.
The Government of Odisha, through the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation, has facilitated exposure visits to SHG leaders to foreign locations in an effort to highlight the accomplishments of Mission Shakti and give its leaders worldwide exposure. At the Mission Shakti Bhawan in Bhubaneswar on November 15, 36 DLF and BLF leaders representing the regions of Angul, Bolangir, Balasore, Bargarh, Boudh, Cuttack, Deogarh, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Kandhamal, Kendrapara, Keonjhar, Koraput, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Nayagarh, Puri, and Sundargarh were honored. Sujata R. Karthikeyan, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Department of Mission Shakti, extended a cordial welcome to the delegation.
