In a powerful display of commitment to women’s empowerment, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday joined thousands of women at the grand ‘Nari Shakti Bandan’ programme in Angul district, urging every citizen to stand firmly behind the historic Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam that reserves 33% seats for women in Parliament and State Assemblies.
Addressing the massive gathering, the Chief Minister declared that women are not just the strength of the family but the very foundation of society and the nation. “Development driven by women’s leadership is our goal,” he said. “Opposing Nari Shakti Vandan means opposing women’s empowerment itself. The women of Odisha will never forgive such opposition.”
Quoting the ancient Sanskrit shloka “Yatra naryastu pujyante, ramante tatra devataḥ”, CM Majhi reminded the audience of India’s cultural reverence for women and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary focus on “development through women’s leadership”. He hailed President Droupadi Murmu as a shining symbol of Nari Shakti’s limitless potential.
The Chief Minister spotlighted Odisha’s flagship women-centric schemes as pillars of empowerment:
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- Subhadra Yojana, which provides financial independence to women
- Lakhpati Didij5 initiative, turning self-help group members into lakhpatis
- Mukhyamantri Kanya Bibaha Yojana, supporting daughters’ marriages in needy families
He personally interacted with beneficiary Tilottama Samant from Baurpal block, who has become self-reliant through goat rearing under the Subhadra scheme. Highlighting impressive numbers, the CM revealed that Angul alone has over 90,000 Lakhpati Didis, while the state boasts more than 17 lakh. Under the Kanya Bibaha Yojana, 388 brides have already received assistance worth over ₹1.71 crore, with ₹11.83 crore budgeted for the coming year.
In the current budget, the Odisha government has allocated a record ₹1.22 lakh crore for women’s welfare — a 30% jump in gender budgeting compared to last year — to boost education, skill development, and entrepreneurship.
“Respect for women is the bedrock of societal progress,” CM Majhi concluded, calling upon women to take leadership from panchayats to Parliament and build a stronger, developed Odisha and India.
The event was attended by local MLAs Pratap Chandra Pradhan (Angul), Ashok Mahanty (Pallahara), Agasti Behera (Chhendipada), Zilla Parishad member Mira Gadnayak, NAC Vice-Chairperson Anupama Sahu, and Angul District Collector Abdal Mohammad Akhtar.
