Bhubaneswar, Oct 11 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday launched a two-wheeler scheme to provide mobility support to self-help group members to strengthen women’s empowerment in the state.
He rolled out the ‘Mission Shakti Scooter Yojana’ for members of women’s self-help groups for which the state government will spend Rs 528 crore for interest subvention in the next five years.
As many as 100 women were handed over the keys of scooters at a function here to mark the launch of the scheme.
“Altogether, 15,000 Mission Shakti women received their scooters on the inaugural day of the programme,” an official said.
The scheme is aimed at providing mobility support to SHG federation members and community staffers through full interest subvention on bank loans up to Rs 1 lakh for the purchase of two-wheelers of their choice.
“Today marks a pivotal moment in the journey of women’s empowerment. We have taken a significant stride towards supporting our mothers as they receive their Mission Shakti scooters. The government will provide an interest subvention of Rs 528 crore over the next five years,” Patnaik said, adding that over two lakh women will benefit from the scheme.
Better mobility of women SHG members will accelerate Odisha’s development and it will bring more economic opportunities for them, he said.
Sources said nearly 1,25,000 federation leaders at panchayat, block and district levels and around 75,000 community support staff will directly benefit from the new two-wheeler scheme.
The objective of the programme is to enhance their ability to carry out their responsibilities effectively, to promote efficiency and to expand their outreach within the community.
Mission Shakti Minister Basanti Hembram said mobility is empowerment for women.
Mission Shakti department secretary Sujata R Karthikeyan said the scooter is the “symbol of the special identity of women SHG members and their capabilities”. PTI AAM BDC
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