The Odisha Department of Housing and Urban Development (DoHUD) has planned for a structured capacity building of the Mission Shakti Self-Help Groups (SHGs) by creating a pool of trainers and mentors besides strengthening the capacities of Urban Local Bodies’ (ULBs) functionaries engaged in sanitation-related work.
As a step forward in this endeavour, the DoHUD on Saturday signed an MoU with the Urban Management Centre (UMC), Ahmedabad, a globally-recognised not-for-profit organisation with expertise in professionalising urban management.
The MoU was signed by G Mathivathanan, Principal Secretary DoHUD and Manvita Baradi, Director UMC in the presence of Housing & Urban Development Minister Pratap Jena. Jena said Odisha is a leading State in prioritising solid waste management in line with the sustainable development goal of making cleaner cities and has got a number of national and international recognitions for its sustained effort in this regard. “Our State has envisioned 100% waste management and created centres that convert the wastes collected from the households into wealth” he said.
Odisha is prioritising systematic investments for the development of Mission Shakti SHGs to address poverty and vulnerability of the marginalised section of the community by giving them a voice and agency so that they can access opportunities and entitlements to improve their lives and livelihoods. Over the last two decades, nearly 6,00,000 Mission Shakti SHGs have been formed which includes membership and participation of nearly 70 lakh women.
Mission Shakti SHG members are also engaged as Jal Sathi, managing Ahaar Kendra, engaged as Swachha Sathi and Swachha Supervisors and transporting wastes by driving battery-operated vehicles, Jena added.
Now, this move would help building capacities of about 2,000 ULB functionaries, 250 mentors, 500 master trainers, who in turn would train presently engaged 5,000 SHG members and also create and nurture another 2,000 SHG members for the upcoming requirement.