Odisha Govt’s Big Push to Rural Livelihood Sector during Pandemic , Announces Special Packages

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today approved a comprehensive package to propel the life and livelihood sector in rural areas which is badly hit by the ongoing pandemic.

According to a release, different Departments including Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water, ST & SC Development, Women & Child Development, and Mission Shakti will work together to provide a much needed push to livelihood of poor and very poor families in the villages.

The packages will help the members of the Women Self Help Groups (WSHGs) hit by the Covid-19 to revive their family enterprises. It will further help to set up enterprises based on the skill set of the migrant returnees.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed hope that the package will improve the economic condition of the poor, very poor and migrant returnees.
The packages cover all most all the sectors ranging from rural nano & micro enterprises to producer group and enterprise group working in agricultural and non-agricultural sectors and skilled and semi-skilled migrant returnees.

The detail packages are as follows;

Package-1: In this package, one-time loan assistance up to Rs 50,000 to be provided for rural nano and micro enterprises in both agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. A member of WSHG can avail it.

Package-2: In this package, one-time loan amounting to Rs 1.5 lakh to be made available to Producer Groups and Enterprise Groups formed by individuals working in the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. However, producer groups have to be over six-month-old and enterprise groups need to be over one-year-old to avail the loan.

Package-3: Physically challenged, particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTG), widow, third gender, destitute, families with women as head, etc will be provided with loan up to Rs 20,000 for development of the enterprise and uplifting of livelihood.

Package 4: Loans up to 1 lakh to be provided to skilled and semi-skilled migrant returnees who have returned during the Covid-19 pandemic for the development of existing enterprises or setting up of new enterprises.

Community-based organizations like WSHG, Cluster Level Federation (CLF), and Gram Panchayat Level Federation (GPLF) under the direct supervision of the District Rural Development Agency will provide assistance to Producer Groups and Enterprise Groups for the execution of this package.

This special package shall remain valid for six months from the date of its announcement.
Besides, District Mineral Funds and OMBADC funds, approximately, Rs 200 crore lying with Cluster Level Federation and Gram Panchayat Level Federation will also be utilized for this purpose, said the release.