Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik extolled the success of Mission Shakti which has empowered women and turned into a social and economic movement in the state.

It has shown the way to the nation and the world at large, he said while noting that 80 lakh women have succeeded in changing the face of rural economy in the state.

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A seed sown in 2001 has grown into a big tree and each leaf of which is a success story of women, he said while addressing a function to mark the International Women’s Day celebrations.

He launched new portals, Mission Shakti Website, Mobile Apps and a Special Portal on Bank Linkage along with an IEC package to abolish witch hunting through a video conference.

He also inaugurated Working Women’s Hostel at Jharsuguda, Jajpur and Bhubaneswar.

The CM said soon one crore women will carry the message of empowerment to each and every household in the state. He pointed out how women – WSHGs, Anganwadi, ASHA, frontline female health workers had worked hard combating the pandemic.

The government had created a new separate Mission Shakti department.

Minister Tukuni Sahu, Secretary Anu Garg and director Sujata Kartikeyan addressed the function. Garg noted that women have turned partners in the process of development while Sujata Kartikeyan stated how the CM had provided Rs 5000 crore worth work of which Rs 2500 crore has been completed by the women groups.

Opposition political parties also held meetings to celebrate the Day. The BJP led by Odisha in charge D Purandeshwari highlighted the central schemes introduced by the Modi government to empower women. The toilet scheme, the bank accounts, Ujjawala yojana were listed out by the BJP.

The party denounced the state BJD government for failing to curb the rise in crime against women and children in the state. The CM claims that 4.5 crore Odias are his ‘parivar’ then what has he done for the women for those who have been widowed by political murders said Purandeswari while addressing a meeting at Mahanga where two BJP activists were killed a few months ago.

The Congress on its part staged protests by sporting black badges . It is a black day for women in Odisha which has topped the list in crime against women in the country, charged the Congress.