Odisha Diary: Focus on Women-Led Development

“We are looking forward to the Saras Expo in the Maldives later this month. This is a very special occasion as we will have almost an all-women team taking charge at the Expo. We are firmly committed to empowering women, especially those at the grassroots level,” Parida tells The Secretariat.

The 59-year-old Deputy CM, who is in charge of Mission Shakti, is also handling key ministries, including Women and Child Development, and Tourism.

Parida, who is on a tour to the capital, took time off from her busy schedule to inaugurate ‘Nimantran’, a restaurant exhibiting Odisha’s rich culinary tradition at Dilli Haat, the capital's showcase of the country's rich handicraft and artisanal culture. The word ‘Nimantran’ literally means ‘invitation to a meal’.

Subhadra Shakti, A New Dimension To Mission Shakti

Parida adds that the state government is now taking steps to rejig Mission Shakti to make it more effective. The launch of Subhadra Shakti is in that direction.

“For a women-led economy, we need to empower grassroots women in the villages. It is essential that they achieve financial independence. In Odisha, we have taken this up on a mission mode,” Parida says.

Under the Subhadra scheme, beneficiaries are given a Subhadra card — an ATM and debit card. They will also receive Rs 50,000 in total between 2024-25 and 2028-29, with Rs 5,000 being credited in their names twice every year.

More than 1 crore women are being covered by the Subhadra scheme.

“We have now launched Subhadra Shakti kendras as well. We launched the kendras on March 8 this year, while we celebrated Women’s Day,” Parida notes. She adds that 70 lakh women are associated with more than 6.10 lakh self-help groups in the state.

“We want to take Odisha’s local handicraft and other produce, including food and vegetables like mangoes, to the global bazaar,” the Dy CM says. 

She points out that the government’s initiative of offering interest-free loans has also helped in expanding the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ cohort. Odisha occupies the topmost rank in the country, with more than 16.6 lakh Lakhpati Didis — members of self-help groups who earn Rs 1 lakh or more annually.

Apart from women's empowerment, her focus is on tourism. Her target: Promote Odisha as the next tourist hotspot.

“The Chilka Lake is a paradise for bird lovers. We have 15 lakh birds from all over the world coming to the lake and making it their home for three months. But after three months, they disappear. It’s fascinating. We are now trying to make a bird museum and other arrangements to attract tourists during those months,” she says, adding that the state is looking at women-led tourism.

Women-Led Tourism

“We want tourism to boom, and we want more women to come forth and grab this space, as we want to promote women-led tourism,” Parida says.

She explains that the state is now coming up with “mahila mitras” as “paryatak mitras”. “The main purpose is to ensure the safety of women travellers, as we have many solo women tourists,” Parida explains. 

The 13th-century Konark Temple, for example, receives about 65 lakh footfalls in a year. Besides, Puri’s Jagannath Temple receives a few crores. The state is also planning to make the Buddhist corridor, along with its pristine beaches, more attractive for tourists. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the 10th governing council meeting of the Niti Aayog on Saturday, underlined the need for “Team India” to unite to achieve Viksit Bharat status by 2047. Modi outlined tourism and enhanced women’s participation as the pillars for development in the next few years. He signalled that the states will have to play a key role in delivering the Viksit Bharat status.

“Ultimately the responsibility lies with the states to take forward the many schemes the Centre announces. Governance and delivery at the state level will be crucial,” said a senior government official.

Speaking earlier at the Niti Aayog meeting, Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi said that a Viksit Odisha will be a cornerstone of Viksit Bharat. 

Majhi also said that his state's flagship Subhadra scheme has been a game-changer for women’s empowerment. “We have put in place an inclusive social security system through schemes like ‘Subhadra’ for women in the age group of 18-59 years,” Majhi said, adding that the allocation for education and health sectors has been substantially enhanced to make the future citizens educated, skilled and healthy, who can contribute to the state’s development process.

Meanwhile, to improve the ease of doing business and the state's industry ecosystem, special focus has also been placed on decriminalisation of laws to address minor offences and technical defaults more efficiently.

The ruling BJP in the state will complete one year next month.