Women’s development in Odisha and welfare schemes – OPSC OAS Mains GS Paper II PYQ

📝Model Answer

Introduction

The development index of women refers to composite indicators measuring women’s well-being and empowerment across health, education, economic participation and political representation, capturing gender gaps relative to men. In Odisha, this is reflected through metrics such as sex ratio, female literacy, maternal health, and women’s workforce and SHG participation.

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Development Index of Women in Odisha

1. Improving sex ratio — Odisha has recorded a relatively favourable sex ratio, broadly close to or above the national average, reflecting better gender balance than many States.
2. Rising female literacy — Female literacy has steadily improved over successive decades, though it still trails male literacy, indicating a persisting gender gap.
3. Health indicators — Improvements in maternal mortality and institutional deliveries have been achieved, though MMR and anaemia among women remain areas of concern.
4. Economic participation — Odisha leads in women’s collective economic mobility, particularly through Self-Help Groups; the State leads the country in producing "Lakhpati Didis," with over 16 lakh women whose annual income has crossed ₹1 lakh.
5. Political representation — Strong grassroots representation through 50% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies has deepened women’s political voice.
6. Persisting challenges — Despite gains, gender gaps remain in higher education, formal-sector employment, nutrition and women’s safety.

Most Successful Schemes for Women’s Welfare in Odisha

1. Subhadra Yojana (2024) — The State’s flagship and India’s largest women-centric scheme; eligible women aged 21–60 from households earning below ₹2.5 lakh annually receive ₹50,000 over five years, distributed in two annual tranches around Raksha Bandhan and International Women’s Day. By March 2025, ₹5,000 crore had reached over 1.18 crore women through Aadhaar-linked Direct Benefit Transfers.
2. Subhadra Plus ecosystem — Subhadra is evolving into a multi-pronged ecosystem with initiatives like Kishori Subhadra (adolescent girls), Subhadra Surakhya (safety), and Subhadra Sanchay (savings), reflecting a holistic empowerment vision.
3. Mission Shakti — Odisha’s pioneering SHG movement that has mobilised lakhs of women into collectives, providing credit linkages, livelihoods and economic independence. In 2024–25, SHGs in the State secured credit linkages worth ₹17,454 crore — the highest ever recorded in Odisha.
4. Subhadra Debit Card — Promotes financial inclusion and digital transactions, with incentives for the top users in each panchayat, advancing women’s digital and financial literacy.
5. Mukhyamantri Kanya Bibaha Yojana — Facilitates mass weddings for girls from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, reducing the financial burden on poor families.
6. Mamata Scheme — A conditional cash transfer maternity benefit scheme supporting pregnant and lactating mothers to improve maternal and child nutrition and health.
7. Subhadra Surakhya and Sambedana — Dedicated allocations (₹153 crore for Subhadra Surakhya and ₹20.49 crore under Subhadra Sambedana) to enhance women’s safety and promote gender sensitivity, linking empowerment with dignity and security.
8. Gender Budgeting — Odisha’s institutionalised gender budget spans 15 departments and 102 schemes under Part A (100% women-focused), embedding women’s welfare across governance.

Improvements Needed in Women’s Welfare Schemes

1. From cash transfer to capability — Move beyond direct benefit transfers toward skilling, entrepreneurship and asset creation for sustainable empowerment.
2. Strengthen safety mechanisms — Improve implementation of safety schemes, fast-track justice, and address crimes against women and trafficking more effectively.
3. Bridge health and nutrition gaps — Focus on reducing anaemia, maternal mortality and malnutrition through targeted, last-mile delivery.
4. Expand formal employment — Link SHG-led enterprises with markets, value chains and formal-sector jobs to raise women’s workforce participation.
5. Better targeting and monitoring — Plug exclusion errors, ensure transparent verification, and use data-driven monitoring to reach the most marginalised women.

Conclusion