Bhubaneswar: In a step forward to empowering women at the grassroots level, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Thursday directed the district Collectors to hand over unused assets of the state government to Mission Shakti Mahasanghs.
The order applies to unused assets like government buildings, shops, and ponds. All such unused government properties in the block, panchayat and district levels should be handed over to the local Mission Shakti Mahasanghs within two months, Patnaik said. Mission Shakti members can utilise these for social and economic development if handed over to them, he said.
Common people will be benefited by the move and members of Mission Shakti groups can utilise these in financial activities, he added.
Once these assets are under the control of women SHGs, these groups will manage the unused properties for the betterment of the locals and society, he said.
The Chief Minister said that the empowerment of women has always been the priority of the state government. “Mission Shakti has become the torchbearer of transformation today. This initiative will be beneficial in strengthening the quiet movement of mothers,” he added.
