SHGs to SMEs: Mission Shakti Dept Poised to Embark on a Transformative Journey

Bhubaneswar: After strengthening more than 70 lakh women under 6 lakh Self-Help Groups (SHGs) across the state in urban and rural areas, Odisha under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, is now poised to embark on a transformative journey of graduating Mission Shakti SHGs to Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The overall vision is to set up at least 50,000 SMEs in the next 3 years. This effort will further promote women led and women owned large enterprises and provide a strong platform for women to take on leadership roles at all levels, said the Mission Shakti Department at the two-day Senior IAS Officers’ conference, which began here on Tuesday.
Taking this forward, CM Naveen Patnaik has announced a number of initiatives to help women build big businesses and operate at scale.

In a press note, the Mission Shakti Department said that zero interest loans upto Rs 5 lakh is being provided to SHGs. This year nearly Rs 10,000 crore will be disbursed to more than 3 Lakh groups. Rs 200 crore of Interest subvention amount is being disbursed directly to SHG accounts. Over the next five years, Rs. 50,000 crore loan is targeted to be disbursed to SHGs and Rs 1200 crore has been provisioned for interest subvention benefits to SHGs, the Department said.

The Government of Odisha has a unique model of outsourcing of Government procurements and provisioning of services worth Rs 5000 crore in 5 years. 15 Departments are actively participating in the areas of hospital diet management, electricity meter reading pisciculture, urban works , nursery raising in forests and so on. A striking example of this initiative is the handing over of all 5 T schools to federations for watch and ward and maintenance activities with in-built supervision charges for SHGs, the Mission Shakti Department said.

Training is an important component of building SMEs All blocks will be covered with high quality trainings with credible partners . Emerging areas of beauty sector enterprises, fashion design, Agri entrepreneurship, cafe management , hospitality sector services will be given focus.
Marketing – Mission Shakti Bazaar, the exclusive chain of retail stores for SHG products, will be set up in 500 locations across the state with a state of art boutique store in Bhubaneswar opening soon. 300 SHGs and PGs have been identified for onboarding to Flipkart.

During the Make in Odisha Conclave 2022, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to nurture entrepreneurship among women, has announced Revolving Fund @ Rs. 1 cr for all District Level Federations, Revolving Fund @ Rs. 50 lakh for all Block Level Federations, Office building with market Complex for all GPLFs and establishment of Micro & Mini Industrial parks in all 30 districts. Few examples of successful women led businesses at district level were also presented Koraput district has set up mini industrial parks for women covering 310 acres in 12 GPs of Borigumma . The district has leveraged funds from many programmes for these units housed in one location . The fly ash brick unit alone has a turnover of 5 crore.

Kendrapara district has started Milk Shakti to procure and sell milk from Mission Shakti SHGs. They also have started a unique e auto programme with women owners and drivers of electronic autos, it added.