Bhubaneswar: Two days ahead of the International Women’s Day, the Odisha government on Saturday decided to create a new department namely, the Department of Mission Shakti to strengthen women Self Help Groups (SHGs) in the State.
The State Cabinet meeting held under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik approved a proposal from the General Administration and Public Grievance department to bring the Directorate of Mission Shakti and Odisha Livelihood Mission (OLM) under the Department of Mission Shakti. Worth mentioning, the Chief Minister announced on March 8, 2020, on the State government’s plan to carve out a separate department for SHGs.
“A new department will help go long way in strengthening the SHG initiatives already undertaken by departments and agencies and bringing it all under one platform providing greater focus, synergy and avoiding duplication in activities,” an official said after the State Cabinet meeting.
The department will work for SHGs and their federation both in rural and urban areas, the official added. Mission Shakti has been the umbrella organsiation for SHG movement since 2001.
The State Cabinet also approved a proposal from the Steel and Mines department to allow the State-owned OMC Limited to sell the entire quantity of bauxite ore meant for sale through national e-auction for the financial year 2020-21 to long term linkage supplier, Vedanta Ltd. The sale price will be Rs 1000 per metric tonne.
Also, OMC will provide an undertaking to pay the differential rate as stipulated by the Orissa High Court. This shall be done as one-time measure limited to FY2020-21, the official further said.
The government also decided to lease out government land measuring 12.09 decimals in Samalpur village and 12.91 decimals in Bamapada village under Remuna tahasil of Balasore district free of cost in favour of the Department of Health and Family Welfare under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for establishment of a satellite centre of AIIMS, Bhubaneswar.
