Mission Shakti to Further Strengthen Engagement of SHGs in Urban Initiatives

Bhubaneswar: To strengthen the partnership of Mission Shakti SHGs in urban initiatives, a virtual meeting was held jointly by the Housing & Urban Development Department and Mission Shakti Department, Government of Odisha on Thursday.

The Meeting was jointly chaired by G. Mathivathanan, Principal Secretary, H&UD Department and Sujatha Karthikeyan, Secretary, Mission Shakti Department.

Principal Secretary, H&UD Department emphasised that community engagement in urban services delivery through Mission Shakti SHGs is a non-negotiable agenda. He highlighted the shift in government focus from contractor driven to community engagement model thus empowering women and other vulnerable groups in the State.

Secretary, Mission Shakti highlighted the importance of partnership with Mission Shakti SHGs to promote women-led community initiatives and entrepreneurship development for an emerging economy. She said Mission Shakti groups would be given credit support upto Rs 3 lakh towards working capital with zero interest rate to enable them to execute development projects under the MUKTA programme.

This decision of Mission Shakti was greatly appreciated by the ULBs as this would address the problem of availability of funds for procuring materials and making wages in the initial period till payments are received from the ULBs. Principal secretary H&UDD hailed this decision as a landmark in the Mission Shakti partnership programme which would go a long way in strengthening the activities of large number of Mission Shakti groups in the urban areas of the State.

Also present was Director Municipal Administration (DMA) who presented the progress and achievements in the implementation of the programmes by the Department through partnership with Mission Shakti SHGs and underlined the cooperation and synergies between ULB and ICDS functionaries.

Joint Secretary-cum-PD State Urban Development Agency (SUDA) gave a brief overview of key urban programmes for social and economic integration of Mission Shakti SHGs in the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) which provide opportunities to Mission Shakti SHGs to participate and contribute to the urban infrastructural development in their local areas. He also emphasised on the capacity building and working capital needs of the collectives.

Municipal Commissioners and Executive Officers from the ULBs, Project Director (DUDA) from the H&UDD and District Social Welfare Officers (DSWOs) and Child Development Protection Officers (CDPOs) from the Mission Shakti Department along with other functionaries from urban areas of the State participated in the meeting.