Women’s self-help group runs Aahar centres in Odisha

The decision of Odisha Housing and Urban Development Department has partnered with Mission Shakti to run 167 Aahar centres through women’s self-help groups (SHGs) has shown good results.

The SHGs were given the work to provide meals to the needy and marginalised people during the lockdown, due to the COVID 19 pandemic.

Under the partnership, 157 SHGs ran 167 Aahar (food) centres, which gave employment to 2000 members of the organisations. According to government officials, 1.5 crore meals were provided by these SHGs.

Under the Aahar scheme, the state government provides dal and rice to people at Rs 5 each. Seeing the work of Mission Shakti Women, such work was given to other SHGs to run three Shelter for Urban Homeless (SUH).

Presently they were given the job of managing the SUH in Balasore, Nabarangpur and Rayagada districts.
Mission Shakti has also taken up a training programme of SHGs on commercial vegetable production including
mushroom cultivation in partnership with Directorate of Horticulture. Currently, 3000 groups are involved in mushroom cultivation, leading to a production of around 2500 tonnes and an impressive turnover of Rs 35.34 cr.
Mission Shakti SHGs have been entrusted with the role of site supervisors for creation of farm ponds.
As site supervisors, group members mobilise job card holders to enhance participation and to increase man-days. As of now, 12321 groups are engaged as site supervisors on worksites and have created 64 lakh man-days, with accrued supervision charges of Rs 5.2 crore.