Bhubaneswar: With the objective of strengthening women-led producer companies and promoting their self-reliance, the Department of Mission Shakti organised a two-day state-level capacity building training programme for board of directors members from women producer companies from across Odisha.

Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida inaugurated the programme at Mission Shakti Bhawan in the capital city here on Monday.

Emphasizing women's empowerment and economic self-reliance, the Deputy Chief Minister said, “Women associated with self-help groups have been achieving remarkable milestones in their journey towards success. They are no longer limited to being individual producers. By joining hands and working collectively, women self-help groups have transformed themselves into producer groups and producer companies, taking charge of their own businesses and enterprises.”

These women’s continuous efforts, positive determination, unwavering courage and entrepreneurial spirit have enabled them to achieve significant success. To encourage, inspire and guide women entrepreneurs, the government is extending comprehensive support through financial assistance from the State Budget, interest-free bank loans, training, skill development and various other initiatives, Parida added.

The Department of Mission Shakti, in collaboration with the Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB), and the National Institute for Social Work and Social Sciences (NISWASS), has undertaken this specialized capacity-building initiative for members of women producer companies.

The training programme will be conducted in 13 batches from October 26 to December 22, covering a total of 320 Board of Directors (BoD) members from 64 Women Producer Companies, including 63 Producer Companies under the Agriculture Production Cluster (APC) initiative and one Millet Producer Company.

In the inaugural batch held today, altogether 25 board of directors members representing five women producer companies from Angul district participated in the training programme.

The programme aims to provide specialized training in farmer producer organisation (FPO) governance, leadership development, financial management, business planning and market linkages.

The initiative further looks forward to nurture women as successful entrepreneurs and capable business leaders while expanding the growth potential of women-led enterprises. By enhancing their managerial and entrepreneurial capabilities, the programme will enable women entrepreneurs to explore greater business opportunities, increase their incomes and strengthen their economic independence.

It will also accelerate their journey from ‘Lakhpati Didis’ to ‘Mahalakhpati Didis’, contributing to a stronger and more prosperous women-led economy in Odisha.