Efforts on to bring all women into SHG fold by 2018: WCD minister

Bhubaneswar: The state government is trying to bring all women irrespective of their socio-economic class, caste, creed and religion in Odisha into the fold of Self Help Group (SHG) mechanism by 2018, Women and Child Development Minister Prafulla Samal said today.

Speaking on the sidelines of Global Entrepreneurship Summit - Celebrating and Empowering Women Entrepreneurship in Bhubaneswar, Samal stressed on skilling women through entrepreneurship to make them independent and empowered.

"The Mission Shakti programme has been working in the state since 2001 and not only that, Odisha Livelihood Mission is also functioning in around 53 blocks of Odisha," Samal said adding that "Anganwadi workers have been asked to include all left out women into SHG fold so that they can be imparted necessary entrepreneurial skills."

We have even signed an MoU with Facebook to assist our women in digital marketing of their quality products not only in state but also worldwide, Samal said after the event.

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Odisha Television Network Director Jagi Mangat Panda who was also a part of the discussion panel said the most important part of women empowerment is to create an entrepreneurial culture which can only happen if issues concerning women are addressed at the grassroots level.

"There are gender biases and stereotypes that are so deeply entrenched in our society that a simple passage of a law will not be able to take care of it, rather some extraordinary efforts have to be taken,” she said.

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