Govt banking on SHG support to score big in 2024 elections

BHUBANESWAR: Known to be its biggest support base, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has been banking heavily on women self-help group (SHG) members in the run-up to the next general and assembly polls slated for 2024.

Since the past a few days, chief minister Naveen Patnaik engages with the SHGs of different districts at his residence to discuss various economic and livelihood activities undertaken by them.
The chief minister has met SHGs from districts like Jajpur, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak, Balasore, Ganjam, Gajapati, Nuapada, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri in the past 15 days.
“Since every household in the rural area has an SHG member, they are the real source to get feedback on implementation of various government schemes and performance of public representatives. They also suggest measures to improve governance,” said a senior BJD leader.
Under the Mission Shakti movement launched in 2001, the state government has organised around 70 lakh rural women under six lakh groups. The state government provides bank loans to the SHGs to take up various livelihood activities.
Considering that the scheme also has huge political significance as the SHGs have been a crucial factor behind BJD’s electoral success in the past 20 years, the state government has extended Mission Shakti for the next five years till 2026-27 with an allocation of around Rs 5,000 crore. To consolidate its support base among the SHGs, the state has announced to engage them in various activities such as handling paddy procurement process, supplying uniforms to school kids and food to hospitals, handling solid waste management in urban areas, collecting power bills and taking up pisciculture.
Bhubaneswar: Known to be its biggest support base, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has been banking heavily on women self-help group (SHG) members in the run-up to the next general and assembly polls slated for 2024.
Since the past a few days, chief minister Naveen Patnaik engages with the SHGs of different districts at his residence to discuss various economic and livelihood activities undertaken by them.
The chief minister has met SHGs from districts like Jajpur, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak, Balasore, Ganjam, Gajapati, Nuapada, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri in the past 15 days.
“Since every household in the rural area has an SHG member, they are the real source to get feedback on implementation of various government schemes and performance of public representatives. They also suggest measures to improve governance,” said a senior BJD leader.
Under the Mission Shakti movement launched in 2001, the state government has organised around 70 lakh rural women under six lakh groups. The state government provides bank loans to the SHGs to take up various livelihood activities.
Considering that the scheme also has huge political significance as the SHGs have been a crucial factor behind BJD’s electoral success in the past 20 years, the state government has extended Mission Shakti for the next five years till 2026-27 with an allocation of around Rs 5,000 crore. To consolidate its support base among the SHGs, the state has announced to engage them in various activities such as handling paddy procurement process, supplying uniforms to school kids and food to hospitals, handling solid waste management in urban areas, collecting power bills and taking up pisciculture.