THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, OCTOBER 21, 2026

Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg on Wednesday called for stepping up efforts to enhance rural household incomes and strengthen women's financial empowerment through effective implementation of livelihood programmes under the Odisha Livelihood Mission (OLM).

Chairing the fifth Steering Committee meeting of OLM at Lok Seva Bhavan here, Garg stressed the need for innovative approaches, improved implementation and regular monitoring to ensure that livelihood initiatives deliver tangible benefits to rural communities.

She emphasised the need to transform more self-help groups (SHGs) into successful small and medium enterprises (SMEs), urging officials to showcase successful SHG-led enterprises as models to encourage other groups to take up similar ventures.

Garg also directed officials to accord priority to livelihood programmes in areas covered under the Gramodaya and PM-Janman initiatives and ensure effective implementation at every stage.

The meeting reviewed the action taken on decisions adopted at the fourth Steering Committee meeting held on September 10, 2025. Progress made during the sixth Executive Committee meeting and the registration of Gram Panchayat Level Societies (GPLSs) were also discussed.

State Mission Director and CEO of the Mission Shakti Department, Dr Monika Priyadarshini, presented an overview of various OLM programmes and their implementation status.

The committee reviewed the inclusion of SHG families under OLM, progress in forming cluster-level and gram panchayat-level forums, provision of revolving funds to SHGs, bank-linkage targets and credit support.

According to the review, more than one lakh SHG members, accounting for around 84 per cent of the reported membership in the farm livelihood category, are engaged in agricultural activities. More than two lakh members are involved in service-based livelihoods, while around 2.3 lakh are engaged in non-farm activities.

The meeting was also informed that access to institutional credit for SHGs had improved significantly, with the average loan amount increasing from Rs 4 lakh in 2024 to Rs 5.96 lakh in 2026.

As many as 5.95 lakh SHGs have received loans totalling Rs 75,116 crore through SHG-bank linkages, helping them expand livelihood activities, develop enterprises and strengthen their financial independence.

In addition, around 1.70 lakh entrepreneurs have received financial assistance amounting to Rs 7,997 crore, supporting enterprise development and income-generating activities.

The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department, Usha Padhee; Commissioner of Urban Development Deoranjan Kumar Singh; commissioners and secretaries of the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water, Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts, and Mission Shakti departments; the Director of Integrated Child Development and Social Welfare; and senior officials of the concerned departments.