Sundargarh: The state government has opened Mission Shakti Cafes to provide good and hygienic food to people visiting the district headquarters of Sundargarh on various works. Operated by women self-help groups (WSHGs), the cafés have been providing good and hygienic food to people at a fair price and empowering the women members by making them self-reliant. Managed by the Mission Shakti department of the state government and Odisha Livelihood Mission, these have also guaranteed the women a livelihood and helped them spread their work sphere in this non-traditional work. Notably, ‘Mission Shakti’ is the self-help mission for empowering women through the promotion of women SHGs to take up various socio-economic activities.
With a humble beginning in 2001, Mission Shakti has evolved as a full-fledged department of the state government, endeavoring to provide sustainable livelihood support to women SHGs with a view to enable them to generate long-term and sustainable income. An SHG member Nilima Kullu of Kutra block said, “Earlier we were only doing traditional jobs to earn a living but now we are operating this cafe and preparing various types of foods as per the demands of people.
Our priority is to cater to the culinary needs of people and make sure they can get tasty food in a homely environment.” All this has been possible with the direct support and supervision of the district administration and Mission Shakti department, the Women SHG Members running the unit said. Be it a king-size breakfast or a sumptuous lunch comprising vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian dishes, you get it all here.
Another SHG member Mamina Kujur of Bishra block said, “We were first selected to run the Mission Shakti Café and later underwent training at Sundargarh. We received training to keep the café clean and how to prepare dishes as per the taste and choice of people. Now we are managing the café and earning a good income,” she added “The quality of food, hygiene, quick service, and behavior of the employees are very affable. We feel like having food at a fine-dine restaurant,” said some of the happy customers of Sundergarh’s Mission Shakti Café. This is a novel initiative which is going to revolutionise the food business, where women (who are also housewives) take the charge, they added.
Locals, office goers, employees of private firms, bankers, students and youths, and people from all walks of life and age groups can be seen at these joints relishing delicacies from a very flexible menu. “The cleanliness is most appealing apart from economical prices. We love hanging out at the Mission Shakti Café,” a group of students said.
In 2021, a pilot project named ‘Utkal Kitchen’ was launched in Kunarmunda block of Sundargarh district with funds support from Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC). Buoyed by the success, Mission Shakti Cafés were opened in 16 blocks of the district with funds sanctioned by the district mineral foundation (DMF) of Sundargarh. Women SHG members serve food at the Mission Shakti Cafés six days a week from 8am to 6pm. Since their inception, these units have turned out to be self-sustainable and are able to generate a steady source of income for the women in just a couple of years