The Odisha government has decided to launch the Mission Shakti Scooter Yojana under which community support staff and executive committee members of women self-help group (SHG) federations can get interest-free loans up to Rs 1 lakh to buy scooters.

Addressing the BJD women wing’s state executive committee meeting here on Saturday, party president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik said: “Women empowerment is something that is close to me. Women empowerment is no longer confined to a slogan, it has become the mantra for development.”

He said: “We are going to launch the Mission Shakti Scooter Yojana. Loans up to Rs 1 lakh will be given without charging any interest. It will help in the mobility of women. Last year, Rs 11,000 crore was given to women under Mission Shakti. Besides, Rs 250 crore was returned to the SHGs towards interest refund.”

The chief minister said work had begun to help women turn into entrepreneurs.

Talking about women’s rights, Naveen said: “While women are empowered at the grassroots level, they are less visible at the state and national levels. We must raise our voices for one-third reservation in Parliament and Assembly constituencies. BJD will continue to fight for women’s rights from villages to Parliament.”

The Mission Shakti Scooter Yojana got the state cabinet’s approval on Friday.

Briefing the cabinet decision, Odisha women and child development minister Tukuni Sahu said: “This initiative aims to provide crucial mobility support to the community support staff (CSS) and executive committee members of the women SHG federations by facilitating their access to scooters.”

Sahu added: “Under the scheme, eligible individuals will benefit from full interest subvention on bank loans up to Rs 1 lakh to purchase a scooter of their choice, making the transition to sustainable mobility more affordable and accessible than ever before.”

The state government in a media release said: “SHG federation leaders and community support staff provide crucial services and handholding towards training, financial inclusion, livelihood, promotion and market linkage. In recognition of the contribution of federation leaders and CSS towards women’s empowerment, the state government has announced interest-free loan for the purchase of scooters.”

Nearly 1,25,000 federation leaders will benefit from the new scheme.

“With a dedicated budgetary provision of Rs 528.55 crore over in the next five years, Mission Shakti is determined to make this scheme widely accessible, empowering more CSSand EC members across the state. The Mission Shakti Scooter Yojana notonly eases personal mobility of women but acknowledges the vital role played byCSS and EC members in driving social changeand development for women empowerment across the state,” the media release added.