Bhubaneswar: On Friday, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Women & Child Development, Mission Shakti, and Tourism, Pravati Parida, inaugurated a new call centre and auditorium at the Mission Shakti Bhavan in Pokhariput, Bhubaneswar. These new facilities are part of the government's ongoing efforts to support and empower Self Help Groups (SHGs) across Odisha.
According to an official release, the auditorium, which has a seating capacity of 400, was built by the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) at a cost of Rs 7.59 crore. This state-of-the-art space will serve as a venue for training, skill development programs, meetings, workshops, and cultural events for SHGs. It will also be used to launch new products made by these groups. The auditorium is expected to greatly benefit SHGs and their confederations, playing a crucial role in the growth and empowerment of women’s organizations across the state.
In addition to the auditorium, Parida also inaugurated the Mission Shakti Call Centre, which will provide valuable support to SHGs by offering information on various schemes, programs, and new initiatives under the Mission Shakti department. The call centre will assist SHG members with any questions or concerns they may have, ensuring they receive timely help and guidance. The toll-free number for the call centre, 155276, will be available on all working days from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
During the event, Deputy Chief Minister Parida praised the department's achievements during the first 100 days of their Mission Shakti initiative. She highlighted several key milestones, including a Rs 175 crore interest refund to Mission Shakti members, Rs 530 crore worth of government business given to SHGs, the rise of over 2.2 lakh "Lakhpati Didis" (women earning over a lakh annually), the creation of 750 producer groups, and the establishment of 100 Mission Shakti retail marts. She also commended the department for successfully meeting their target of disbursing Rs 2,340 crore in loans to SHGs.
The inauguration event was attended by Bhubaneswar (Ekamra) MLA Babu Singh, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Mission Shakti department Shalini Pandit, State Mission Director and CEO of the Odisha Livelihood Mission Vineet Bharadwaj, Additional Secretary Sumitra Patnaik, and senior officials from IDCO and the Mission Shakti department.
These new developments mark another significant step toward strengthening the role of women in Odisha's economic and social fabric through the continued support of SHGs.