First district investors’ meet for SHGs in Dhenkanal sees good SME footfall

DHENKANAL: Ahead of the third edition of Make in Odisha conclave in Bhubaneswar, the Mission Shakti department organised a district investors’ meet for self-help groups (SHGs) here on Wednesday to market their products and bring in investors by roping in small and medium enterprises (SME). 
At least 56 SHGs, 25 industry representatives and 50 departments of the state government participated in the meet which was titled ‘SHG to SME: Invest in Her’. 

Speaking on the occasion virtually, Mission Shakti secretary Sujata Karthikeyan said the government has set a target to provide Rs 9,000 crore loan to SHGs in the state this year. Now, banks too are coming forward to offer loan to SHGs as the groups are excelling in their businesses across the state. The Mission Shakti movement has been a success in Odisha.

Stating that there are 70 lakhs SHG members in Odisha, Karthikeyan said a state-level Mission Shakti Bazaar will be held soon. She also praised the pickle produced by SHGs in Dhenkanal.  Karthikeyan also said Odisha is the only state where SHGs are involved in various public services delivery. At least 3000 groups from Dhenkanal are engaged in convergence, electric meter reading, Aahar Kendra management. Training women on hospitality management, goods and services, e-auto operation, Mission Shakti Cafes operation can be taken up where women can contribute and earn livelihood.

Dhenkanal collector Saroj Kumar Sethi promised to carry forward the Mission Shakti movement by providing incentives and support to 20,000 SHGs in the district. He called upon industries operating in Dhenkanal to support the SHGs in value addition of their products. 

In Dhenkanal, there are 2 lakh SHG members who are doing good business by making quality products. Sethi informed that the pickles produced by Dhenkanal SHGs are being provided to 10 districts.
Jayatri Behera, an SHG member of Dhenkanal, said her group is producing pickle by availing `30 lakh loan from HDFC bank. Last month, the SHG earned Rs 5 lakh from selling the pickle.

Officer on Special Duty to Mission Shakti department Sudhansu Sekhar Nayak and president, Dhenkanal Chamber of Commerce Rajendra Prasad Das also spoke. The event was organised by the women’s wing of FICCI, FICCI Ladies organization (FLO) in partnership with Department of Mission Shakti.