On the occasion of the Odisha government’s first anniversary, the Department of Women and Child Development organized a state-level Women Empowerment Summit at Bali Jatra Ground in Cuttack.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi inaugurated the event, emphasizing that “the first lesson of political training is to honor women.” He stated that the sole objective of this summit is to transform the women of Odisha into the strongest force in the state.
In his address, the CM highlighted that this summit marks the first major programme of the government’s second year, reflecting their commitment to gender-inclusive development.
“We firmly believe that unless half of the state’s population progresses, the state itself cannot develop,” he said. He expressed confidence that launching such an event in the historic city of Cuttack will usher in a golden era for the women and sisters of Odisha.
The Chief Minister also spoke about the Subhadra Yojana, describing it as the most revolutionary women’s welfare scheme in the state’s history. He claimed that no other large-scale social welfare initiative of this nature had been implemented in the past. The government has conducted extensive grassroots outreach—collecting data from every village and household, especially in remote tribal areas where awareness is limited. Information was gathered, and women from those regions were actively enrolled in the scheme.
“The success of Subhadra Yojana stands as a prime example of our strong commitment,” said the Chief Minister, underlining the government’s proactive and inclusive approach to women’s empowerment.
He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision behind the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ initiative, aimed at empowering women economically. The CM noted with pride that Odisha ranks first in India in creating ‘Lakhpati Didis’, having successfully enabled over 16 lakh women to reach this milestone.
He further informed that in the current year, government departments across Odisha collectively created business opportunities worth ₹3,695 crore for Self-Help Groups (SHGs)—a record-breaking achievement in the state’s history. Additionally, the government waived loans worth ₹300 crore for over 3.07 lakh SHGs, helping them realize their economic dreams.
Through the Mukhyamantri Sampurna Pushti Yojana (MSPY), the state is ensuring nutritious food for women and children, working towards a healthier future.
“For us, women empowerment is not just a slogan,” the Chief Minister said. In the current budget, the government has allocated ₹89,861 crore exclusively for women, which he cited as a reflection of the state’s unwavering commitment.
He expressed confidence that Odisha will emerge as a model state for women empowerment, inspiring others across India.
He emphasized, “We believe that until half of our state’s population progresses, the state itself can never truly develop.”
He expressed firm confidence that launching this initiative from the historic city of Cuttack would usher in a golden era for the mothers and sisters of Odisha.
He further declared that the Subhadra Yojana is the most transformative scheme for women’s empowerment launched so far. It stands as the largest women-centric welfare programme in Odisha’s history. Not only for women, no other social welfare scheme of this scale had ever been implemented before.
The Chief Minister highlighted that the government has collected data by reaching out to every village and every household across the state.
“We went door-to-door and connected with the majority of families,” he said. In particular, in remote tribal areas where women are often less aware of government schemes, efforts were made to collect their information and include them under the benefits of Subhadra Yojana.
The Chief Minister concluded by stating that the success of Subhadra Yojana is a shining example of the government’s strong resolve and commitment to building an inclusive and empowered Odisha.
