Bhubaneswar: The Government of Odisha has successfully hosted the National Conclave on “Lakhpati Didi” at the Lok Seva Bhawan Convention Centre in Bhubaneswar.
The two-day conclave which began on Thursday stood as a tribute to Odisha’s pioneering role in empowering rural women through sustainable livelihoods, having enabled over 16 lakh women to earn ₹1 lakh or more annually, the highest in the country under this flagship initiative of the Government of India.
The inaugural day witnessed the esteemed presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, Development Commissioner Anu Garg, and senior dignitaries from various departments, alongside more than 300 Lakhpati Didis, SHG members, representatives from State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs), and development partners from across India.
In the post-lunch session, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha SRLMs presented their best practices. A key highlight of the day was the signing of two important MoUs, one with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to digitally scale SHG product reach, and another with the Industree Foundation, focusing on sustainable enterprise ecosystems.
The day concluded with the presentation of mementos to state representatives by Monica Priyadarshini, Director, Mission Shakti & SMD, OLM, followed by closing remarks by Sumitra Pattnaik Additional Secretary. Delegates also visited the Mission Shakti Bazaar, a curated display of Odisha’s handloom and craft-based SHG enterprises.
On 2nd day of the program as part of a field immersion programme, Lakhpati Didis and officials travelled to Puri, facilitated by the district team. The journey included visits to the Jagannath Temple, Raghurajpur Craft Heritage Village, Chandrabhaga Sea Beach, and the Sun Temple and Museum at Konark. This cultural and enterprise-focused exposure reinforced the link between heritage, local entrepreneurship, and empowerment.
The conclave concluded with participants returning to Bhubaneswar, energised by the Odisha model and committed to replicating its success across the country.
