In Odisha, a new initiative called the “Mukhya Mantri Kanya Bibaha Yojana” is set to be introduced soon. Announced by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi at the launch of the “Subhadra Shakti Mela” at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar today, the scheme aims to help financially challenged families cover the wedding costs for their daughters.
The Chief Minister pointed out that many families in the state face difficulties in affording the expenses of marrying their daughters. To ease this burden, the government will organize mass wedding ceremonies, covering all costs and even providing gifts for the brides. For this purpose, Rs 12 crore has been allocated in the 2025-26 state budget, with the promise that funding will not stand in the way of executing the plan.
Alongside this marriage scheme, the government also unveiled plans under the “Subhadra Plus” umbrella, which includes several new initiatives such as Kishori Subhadra, Subhadra Sanchay, Subhadra Surakhya, Subhadra Sakhi, Subhadra Yatri, Subhadra Sangh (club), Kuha Subhadra (call center), Subhadra Sahyogi, Subhadra Scholars, and Sujogya Subhadra. The state budget has set aside Rs 10,145 crore for the overall Subhadra Yojana and an additional Rs 153 crore for the Subhadra Surakshya scheme.
The Chief Minister also highlighted enhanced support for women self-help groups (SHGs). The revolving fund for the 5.80 lakh SHGs in the state has been doubled to provide Rs 30,000 per group. Moreover, the community investment fund for gram panchayat level federations has been increased from Rs 35 lakh to Rs 60 lakh. Additionally, over 3 lakh SHGs will receive a total of Rs 300 crore as interest subvention for the 2024-25 fiscal year.
At the ongoing Subhadra Mela, around 700 women-led SHGs are showcasing their products, including handicrafts, terracotta items, bamboo crafts, and organic goods. The nine-day fair features roughly 300 stalls presenting nearly 200 different varieties of products, making it a vibrant celebration of local talent and entrepreneurship.
