Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has ensured the participation of women in various day-to-day activities such as sanitation, protection of the environment, beautification, construction, and collection. To reduce the gap of disparity with regard to income and to provide earning opportunities, female Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Area Level Federations (ALFs) of Mission Shakti are treated as implementation partners in different projects. This is an indicator of empowerment, Mayor Sulochana Das said.
BMC has involved 623 SHGs in Mukhya Mantri Karma Tatpara Aviyan (MUKTA) while MUKTA’s rainwater harvesting project has more than 500 SHGs as its implementation partners. Other projects include roadside open-air gym, parking space development, walkway development, playground and renovation of ponds.
Women’s participation in sanitation has been phenomenal. Micro-composting Centers ( MCCs) and Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) are functional since last year. A total of 117 SHGs and five Area Level Federations are deployed to promote and manage the units as Swcha Sathis and Swachha Karmis. Presently, more than 600 women are managing the units.
On the other hand, SHGs also manage Colony Parks. Out of 77 parks, 40 are run by women SHGs. In addition, 67 SHGs are in charge of revenue collection and other 67 groups do the work of Jal Sathi. It is even a matter of joy that they are involved in the management of the faecal sludge treatment plant and collection of electricity bills, Das added.
As per data, about 1000 SHGs being implementation partners in different projects have contributed to their family income. BMC has 5,032 registered Women SHGs. Of these, 3,757 have already received revolving fund of Rs 10,000 each. Various business loans have been disbursed to 3658 groups through bank connectivity that has promoted entrepreneurship and self-reliance among the group members.
Besides, BMC’s safaigadi initiative (waste collection vehicle) has engaged about 300 numbers of women drivers and supporting staff (swachha karmis) through implementing partners. Equal importance is given to involve transgender groups in different development initiatives, the ULB stated.
