Bhubaneswar: Amid the spike in COVID-19 positive cases in Odisha, Mission Shakti Commissioner-cum-Secretary Sujata R Karthikeyan today made an emotional appeal to the women SHG members, who are playing a crucial role in helping the State in its fight against the deadly virus.
She appealed to the WSHG members to do home policing to make their family members to stay in homes as the State has intensified its fight against the COVID-19.
At a time when the whole world is battling with deadly COVID-19, and Odisha is no exception to it, the Women Self-Help Groups (WSHGs) of “Mission Shakti” in the State has emerged as the unsung heroines, which lead the fight against the deadly virus in the State through community sensitization and awareness generation.
Lauding the efforts of the worriers at the ground levels at this critical time, she said, “Early in March pamphlets on awareness of Coronavirus and prevention of COVID-19 were circulated to 70 lakh SHG members. They were to sensitize their family members and local communities. This enabled them to create mass awareness of this disease mainly among women in rural and semi urban areas in record three days.
The pledge that the Chief Minister requested everybody to take for prevention of COVID-19 was circulated to all SHG members. Carrying forward the STAY @ HOME pledge of Chief Minister to all rural and urban habitations across the state for breaking the chain, SHGs have led the fight against Corona virus with immediate coordinated action.
Early on, seeing the public demand for masks many SHGs and Federations who had prior experience in stitching uniforms for school children took on this activity.
As of now, the SHG group members have distributed more than 12 lakh masks. Many SHGs have also taken this up as a philanthropic activity and distributed masks free of cost to those in need.
When the lockdown was announced and it was seen that supply of rations and vegetables may become an issue , our SHGs stepped in to fill the gap. Nearly 500 SHGs have set up dry ration, vegetables and fruit shops across the state with the help of the district administration. They are also doing home delivery of rations in many urban centres like Berhampur, Cuttack, Kendrapara and Koraput.
As the lockdown is hitting hard to poorer section of the society, SHG members have already provided 25lakh meals to destitute and helpless persons.
“Once again Mission Shakti members have risen to the occasion providing a vital link between government and community – as leaders and partners in service delivery at the grassroots level, Sujata R Karthikeyan had said earlier.
Being a woman, her emotional appeal is likely to have great impact among the whopping 70 lakes SHG members.