Productive Engagement of Self-Help Groups as an Approach to Empowering and Enriching the Urban Poor & Marginalised in Odisha

This case study highlights the empowerment of women through Self-help groups (SHGs) in Odisha. The Odisha government has successfully established SHGs and their Federations across the state, providing a platform for implementing livelihood programmes. The Aahaar programme was launched in 2015 to provide cooked meals with pickle to needy people in urban areas at a subsidised cost of ` 5 per meal. To meet the pickle demand of Aahaar centres, three pickle-making units were set up in partnership with SHGs. These units not only enabled the supply of quality pickles to the Aahaar programme but also empowered women economically. Food safety supervisors ensured quality and collaboration with a research institute strengthened the process of women empowerment in terms of their productive engagement in pickle making. SHGs and their Federations earned substantial revenues and received bank loans for meeting the working capital requirements. The study emphasizes how integrating women-focused entrepreneurship into flagship initiatives can drive sustainable economic growth and empowerment. Odisha’s pickle production success demonstrates the potential of community-driven ventures in uplifting marginalized communities, thus emphasizing the transformative impact of such convergence.