Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday announced the launching of a new scheme ‘Lakhpati Didi Sahayika Yojana’ to Benefit over 62,000 Community Support Staff in Odisha.
Shri Majhi highlighted the government’s focus on the economic growth of women in self-help groups through the “Lakhpati Didi Yojana,” aiming to make women members earn an income of one lakh rupees annually, with a target of creating 2.5 lakh “Lakhpati Didis” by 2027.
Odisha Rural Livelihood Mission under the National Rural Livelihood Mission is being implemented from 1st April 2012. As per the thrust of this scheme, self-help groups are being formed to improve the livelihood of rural families and involve women in this. Again, these self-help groups are being organized at the village and panchayat levels to provide various social and economic assistance to them. To strengthen and empower these self-help groups (SHG), Cluster Level Federation (CLF) and Gram Panchayat Level Federation (GPLF), community support staff were appointed by the Gram Panchayat level Federation.
Community Support Staff includes a Community Resource Person for Community Mobilization (CRP-CM), Master Book Keeper (MBK), Bank Mitra and Prani Mitra. A total of 62,341 Community Support Staff were appointed in the state.
Odisha Livelihood Mission issued guidelines regarding remuneration of Community Support Staff vide letter No. 574 dated 25.02.2019. As per these guidelines, there was a provision to provide funds to the Gram Panchayat Level Federations for the remuneration of these Community Support Staffs at different rates for a period of five years from 1st April 2019.
- Remuneration Guidelines: Issued by Odisha Livelihood Mission on February 25, 2019. Funds are provided to Gram Panchayat Level Federations for the remuneration of Community Support Staff at different rates over five years, starting from April 1, 2019.
- 100% funding for the first three years.
- 75% funding in the fourth year, with 25% to be borne by Panchayat Level Federations.
- 50% funding in the fifth year, with 50% to be borne by Panchayat Level Federations.
- After five years, Panchayat Level Federations are to bear 100% of the remuneration.
“It is observed that, due to previous government inefficiencies, the community support staff have not received salaries for ten months”. To address this, the Chief Minister announced the “Lakhpati Didi Sahayika Yojana.” This scheme will bear the salary of community support staff and provide grants to Gram Panchayat Level Federations. More than 62,000 community support staff will benefit from this, receiving their salaries from April 2024.
