IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF MISSION SHAKTI IN WOMEN EMPOWERMENT IN GAJAPATI DISTRICT IN ODISHA

As in other states in India, SHGs are the predominant mode of microfinance in Orissa. SHGs are promoted by several agencies under several programs. . Based on all-India data, Orissa ranked 4th in 2010 as well as 2011 in terms of SHGs that have successfully accessed bank loans. Some SHGs promoted by NGOs and the ICDS system have been federated into SHG federations at multiple levels. Promotion of Women’s Self-Help Groups (WSHGs) under Mission Shakti has been a key strategy for achieving women’s empowerment in Orissa. One of the important objectives of the Mission is to help capacity-building of the existing and the new Groups to be formed to take up incomegenerating and remunerative economic activities by providing them the necessary technical support, market linkages and credit linkages, where necessary. SHG members predominantly invest in small scale agricultural and non-farm activities such as livestock and poultry rearing, production of lentils and other products for the Government’s Mid- Day Meal Scheme for school children, and local handicrafts and weaving. As a result of higher incidence of poverty in the State, the living condition of the people in terms of the development indicators like literacy rate, infant mortality rate, per capita income, per capita food grain production, etc. is much below the national average.