1. Odisha government, led by CM Naveen Patnaik, launches initiatives for women, heritage, artisans, and rural governance.
2. 70 lakh SHG members receive ₹1,000 for uniforms, while 1.5 lakh executives get ₹2,000 for blazers.
3. Additional schemes include support for artisans, temple restoration, and rural administrative enhancement.
Bhubaneswar, Feb 17: The Odisha government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has announced several initiatives aimed at empowering women, preserving heritage, supporting artisans, and enhancing rural governance.
To support women’s self-help groups (SHGs), the government has allocated ₹1,000 each for uniforms to 70 lakh SHG members and ₹2,000 each for blazers to 1.5 lakh SHG executive committee and management committee members.
This initiative, totalling ₹730 crore, aims to promote cohesion and professionalism among SHG members.
Ahead of the upcoming state assembly and Lok Sabha polls in April, these measures are seen as efforts to bolster grassroots support and address the needs of various segments of society.
Additionally, the Cabinet has allocated ₹1,412.79 crore for the development of 159 old temples and monuments under the Integrated Development of Heritage & Monuments and Tourist Destination scheme.
The funds will be utilized to enhance the aesthetic appeal, accessibility, and information dissemination of these heritage sites, while also providing necessary public facilities and infrastructure.
Recognizing the contributions of weavers and handicraft artisans, the government has introduced the “Mukhyamantri Baristha Bunakar & Karigara Sahayata Yojana.”
This scheme will provide monthly assistance of ₹2,000 to around 1.5 lakh weavers and ancillary workers, with an additional ₹2,500 per month for women weavers/artisans aged 40-80 years and men weavers/artisans aged 50-80 years.
Moreover, the Cabinet has approved the recruitment of 7,142 accountant-cum-data entry operators in the 6,794 gram panchayats.
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These positions will be filled through a combination of direct recruitment and promotion of Gram Rozgar Sevaks.
The move aims to strengthen rural governance and improve administrative efficiency at the grassroots level.
In a further boost to decentralized governance, the administrative approval power of district collectors for projects undertaken by the Panchayati Raj department has been increased from ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore.
Similarly, the technical sanction power of assistant executive engineers, executive engineers, and superintending engineers has been augmented to ₹10 lakh, ₹1 crore, and ₹4 crore, respectively.
These comprehensive initiatives underscore the government’s commitment to holistic development, empowerment of women, preservation of cultural heritage, and inclusive growth across various sectors in Odisha.
