Kendrapara: For sustainable economic development in the district, it is imperative that Kendrapara administration focuses on the availability of effective marketing facilities for its rural produce.
According to sources, in the absence of adequate marketing facilities for non-agrarian and farm produce, development has gone down despite.
The state government has been zealously promoting women empowerment and rural economic management by providing seed money to various self-help groups (SHGs) as well as by imparting occupational training through state livelihoods mission.
About 22,809 SHGs have been constituted at different villages in Kendrapara district. After the formation of Mission Shakti in April 2017, nearly 10,478 SHGs of the district have been provided seed money of Rs 15,000 each. Remaining SHGs have been given seed money of Rs 5,000 to 10,000 each.
Under the Community Investment Fund (CIF) programme of the State Livelihoods Mission, funds of over Rs 31 crores have been given to different women federations in the district in order to empower and make women self-sufficient. Apart from aforesaid support, SHGs of Kendrapara district were also given mobile phones for connectivity, vocational training and 17 types of hybrid seeds for taking up farming activities.
The district administration has spent over Rs 80 crores towards management of SHGs including salary disbursement of staff of the Mission Shakti and the Livelihoods Mission.
The famous handicrafts of Jajanga village under Kendrapara block made from Rosary Pea (Kaincha), mushrooms cultivated at Rajnagar and terracotta works of Jayachandrapur village under Mahakalpada block are unable to reach prospective buyers.
Intelligentsia of the district opined that after formation of SHGs in most villages of Kendrapara district, women have proven their worth in the fields of mushroom cultivation, golden grass craftwork, fish farming, terracotta and bamboo works.
Construction of Mission Shakti houses under ‘Ama Gaon, Ama Bikash’ yojana was announced ahead of 2019 general elections. However, it has made little progress since then.
On the other hand, shops are being allocated to local businessmen in market complexes constructed at different panchayats and two civic limits of the district. The district administration ought to allocate at least some shops to the SHGs, they suggested.
Sale of rural produce through the Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) in mobile vans could boost rural economy. It is apprehended that if such situations persist, loans being extended by the government to SHGs at 1% interest per annum would be misutilised.
Notably, the rural economy of this district holds significant potential for creating decent and productive jobs, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development and growth. Availability of better marketing facilities is the key to eradicating poverty and strengthening the fiscal standing of local people.
