The post Odisha to Develop ‘Lakshmi Purana Corridor’ at Balaram Das’ Samadhi in Begunia appeared first on Odisha Connect.

Mission Shakti Boosts Women Entrepreneurs
Women empowerment is a key component of building a developed Odisha. To strengthen the economic growth of women, the state government has implemented an interest refund scheme on bank loans. This initiative not only reinforces the foundation of self-help groups (SHGs) but also creates greater market opportunities, encouraging women entrepreneurs to thrive.

Deputy Chief Minister Leads the Program
Today, at a program organized at Mission Shakti Bhavan titled “Interest Refund for Self-Help Groups”, Honorable Deputy Chief Minister Smt. Prabhat Parida participated. She emphasized the government’s commitment to empowering women through livelihood-oriented economic models, ensuring financial independence and growth.

Bank Loans Play a Key Role
Bank loans play a crucial role in enhancing the livelihoods and entrepreneurial mindset of SHG members. To reduce the burden of interest repayment, the Odisha government has increased the bank loan amount for SHGs and reduced the annual interest rate to zero percent for loans up to ₹10 lakh. The refunded interest is directly credited to the bank accounts of the SHGs.

Massive Interest Refund Distributed
In a significant step, Deputy Chief Minister Smt. Parida refunded interest amounting to ₹117.12 crore to 2,24,884 self-help groups. This initiative not only financially strengthens women-led enterprises but also demonstrates the government’s commitment to the state’s development and economic progress.

Participation of Key Officials
The event saw the presence of Mission Shakti Director Dr. Monica Priyadarshini, Additional Secretary of the Department Mr. Jyoti Shankar Mahapatra, senior officials of Odisha Livelihood Mission, and representatives from various banks.

Promoting Skills and Development
This initiative by the Mission Shakti Department highlights the government’s dedication to enhancing the skills, growth, and empowerment of women entrepreneurs. It further strengthens the journey of social and economic empowerment of women across Odisha.

The post Odisha Government Strengthens Women Empowerment Through Interest Refund SchemeOdisha appeared first on Odisha Connect.

The three-day Odisha Parba 2025, held from 15th to 17th November at The Lalit Ashok in Bengaluru, concluded today with grandeur. Thousands of participants, including members of the Odia community, tourists, artisans, and culture enthusiasts, attended the festival, celebrating Odisha’s vibrant heritage, arts, cuisine, handicrafts, and tourism.

A Celebration of Odisha’s Culture

The festival highlighted Odisha’s rich cultural traditions and artistic excellence. Visitors were treated to a display of the state’s handicrafts, handlooms, traditional foods, and immersive tourism experiences. Each segment of the exhibition received immense appreciation from attendees, reflecting Odisha’s thriving craftsmanship and cultural identity.

Organized collaboratively by the Tourism Department, Handicrafts & Handloom Division, Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department, Odisha Tribal Development Cooperative Corporation Ltd, Mission Shakti, and Odisha Rural Development & Marketing Society (ORMAS), the event successfully showcased Odisha’s heritage and traditions on a prominent national platform.

Performances and Live Demonstrations

The festival featured a range of cultural activities, beginning with traditional dance and music performances, live craft demonstrations, and curated culinary counters. From tribal art forms and classical traditions to contemporary creative expressions, the event offered a comprehensive cultural experience for families, tourists, students, and art lovers.

The celebrations fostered strong cultural ties between Odisha and Karnataka, creating an interactive and engaging platform for visitors to explore and connect with Odisha’s artistic and traditional legacy.

Platform for Artisans and Entrepreneurs

Odisha Parba also provided artisans, weavers, and entrepreneurs an opportunity to showcase their work, gain market visibility, and interact with influential buyers, travelers, and cultural leaders in Bengaluru. Visitors lauded the festival for highlighting Odisha’s craftsmanship and tourism potential, emphasizing the growing interest in Odisha’s cultural and artisanal offerings.

Tourism and Investment Discussions

On the final day, a dedicated session was held where Shri Balwant Singh, Commissioner & Secretary of the Tourism Department, met with potential investors from resorts, farms, real estate, hotels, and destination management companies (DMCs). Discussions focused on emerging opportunities in Odisha’s tourism ecosystem, future collaboration, and investment prospects.

Following this, a tourism roadshow brought together Karnataka’s leading tour operators, travel professionals, travel associations, and hospitality stakeholders. The event showcased Odisha’s latest tourism initiatives, infrastructure, connectivity improvements, and potential investment opportunities. Senior officials and industry experts facilitated interactive sessions with local participants, strengthening cooperation and opening new avenues for tourism growth between Odisha and Karnataka.

A Strong Cultural and Tourism Connect

Odisha Parba 2025 reinforced Odisha’s position as a vibrant and rapidly growing tourist destination. It celebrated the state’s culture, creativity, and traditions while fostering meaningful collaborations between Odisha and southern India. The event concluded on a high note, leaving lasting memories and marking a significant milestone in Odisha’s ongoing efforts to expand its cultural and tourism footprint across the country.

The post Odisha Parba 2025 Concludes in Bengaluru, Showcasing Rich Culture and Heritage appeared first on Odisha Connect.

Sujata Kartikeyan shifted from Mission Shakti Dept, after BJP team meets ECI

BHUBANESWAR: In what is said to be a major jolt for the ruling  BJD, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday ordered the transfer of Secretary of Odisha’s Mission Shakti Department Sujata R Karthikeyan to a non-public dealing department with immediate effect.

 Now, Sujata has been appointed as Special Secretary in the Finance Department. Health Secretary Shalini Pandit has been appointed as the new Mission Shakti Secretary. She is the wife of BJD leader VK Pandian, who took a plunge into State politics after taking voluntary retirement from the All India Civil Services in October 2023.

The order was issued within hours of the BJP accusing the 2000-batch IAS officer of ‘actively’ operating as an agent of the ruling BJD. In its representation to the ECI, the BJP stated that Sujata was “misusing” her position and SVEEP of the Election Commission to influence around 70,000 women attached with Self-Help Groups under Mission Shakti for “electoral gains of BJD”.

 “It is extremely unfortunate that the serving IAS officer has given a go-bye to professionalism and is actively indulging as an agent of the BJD because of the influence of her husband on her. It would have been fair and proper for her to understand the implications of her being the wife of Pandian and, further understanding his role in the overall gamut of ongoing elections, she should have proceeded on leave and disassociated herself from anything to do with public dealing during the elections,” the BJP said, demanding that she should not be given any responsibility till the elections are over.

Notably, Naveen Patnaik-led BJD has been successful in garnering female votes ever since his government started Mission Shakti, a programme to strengthen women SHGs, in 2001. It was turned into a directorate in April 2018 and carved out as a separate department on June 1, 2020 with Sujata at its helm to exclusively work for around 70 lakh rural women associated with nearly six lakh women SHGs.

The post Big Setback for BJD Before Polls appeared first on Odisha Connect.