The first-ever “Subhadra Shakti Mela” kicked off here at Janata Maidan on Saturday. It will continue till March 2.

Hundreds of entrepreneurs from across the state attended the Mela which is being seen as an attempt by the Mohan Majhi government to saffronise Mission Shakti, a women empowerment initiative of the previous Naveen Patnaik government.

Formed to extend financial support to women collectives, Mission Shakti had around 70 lakh members who constituted a solid and loyal vote-bank for the BJD. Later, the Majhi government launched Subhadra Yojana to replace Mission Shakti, which has been consistently run down since the BJP government came to power in June last year. Under this scheme, ₹10,000 is given to members of Mission Shakti per annum.

As a part of this scheme, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday inaugurated the Subhadra Shakti Mela. Inaugurating it, chief minister Majhi said, “The Odisha government aims to create 25 lakhpati didis in the next three years. The women empowerment is not a slogan for us but a medium to bring economic development among the women.”

Majhi also announced a “Mukshyamantri Kanya Bibaha Yojana,” under which the state will arrange marriages for daughters belonging to poor families. “We have earmarked ₹12 crore in this budget,” said Majhi.

Deputy chief minister Pravati Parida said, “The mela aims to celebrate the success of women entrepreneurs across Odisha, providing them with a platform to showcase their products and skills. We aim to create 25 lakh lakhpati didis by 2027. We have already created five lakh lakhpati didis in the last seven months.”

She said, “Subhadra Shakti Mela is more than just an exhibition; it is a celebration of women’s entrepreneurship. The event will connect rural women entrepreneurs with buyers, businesses and market leaders, opening doors for business expansion, financial growth and networking opportunities.”