BHUBANESWAR: The state government will provide free smartphones to all six lakh women self-help groups (SHGs) under Mission Shakti programmes as part of its digital empowerment programme. Around 70 lakh women associated with various SHGs will benefit due to the move.Announcing it here during a session of women entrepreneurship during the Make in Odisha conclave, the chief minister shared his dream to see that every woman has access to the knowledge economy.“Our women have come a long way and the next ceiling to be broken is the digital one. My Government is aware that digital empowerment will further accelerate the socio-political and economic empowerment of women,” Naveen added.Earlier during inaugural plenary of the conclave, Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani had informed that his telecom major Jio company is working with the state government on an initiative to integrate several lakh women in the digital mainstream.The session on women entrepreneurship during the biz meet focussed on empowerment of women in Odisha through Mission Shakti that started in 2001, a year after Naveen took charge as chief minister.Mission Shakti is an initiative that aims at economic empowerment of women by forming self-help groups and providing them with loans from various banks at low interest rate for various livelihood opportunities. The SHGs have a total saving of Rs 5,000 crore.Naveen said there is no habitation in the state without a Mission Shakti group. “Almost every second household has a member in the Mission Shakti. My government honours their sincerity by providing SHGs loans at 1 per cent,” the chief minister said.The chief minister also urged the bankers to meet the credit requirement of Mission Shakti groups in a dignified and professional manner.The state government has earlier announced free smartphones for farmers in Odisha.Pitching his government’s focus on women empowerment, Naveen said women empowerment is something that is very close to his heart. “No household, no society, no state and no country has ever moved forward without empowering its women,” he added.Speaking on political empowerment of women, Naveen said his government has enhanced the reservation for women in local bodies to 50 per cent from 33 per cent made by former chief minister and his father Biju Patnaik The chief minister also spoke on his government’s focus for women while launching social welfare schemes like Mamata, Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana or the land rights.“As a Government we do so many things-- institutions, buildings, bridges. Let me confess that whenever we have done anything for women, it has had the maximum impact for the State and given me the greatest personal satisfaction,” he added.Some of the successful SHG members shared their experiences during the session.

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