Bhubaneswar, August 7 (APAC Media): The Odisha Mission Shakti Department has signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre for Research in Schemes and Policies (CRISP) and the NSE Foundation to launch Project BLESS.
Project BLESS is a three-year initiative aimed at preventing distress migration by creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for vulnerable rural families.
The MoU was signed at Lok Seva Bhawan in the presence of Chief Secretary Anu Garg and Mission Shakti Secretary Manasi Nimbhal. The project will be implemented in collaboration with the Odisha Livelihoods Mission (OLM)
Focus on sustainable livelihoods and migrant support
According to the department, Project BLESS aims to identify families vulnerable to migration before they leave their villages and connect them with livelihood opportunities, skill development, financial services and government welfare schemes. A mobile application-based household vulnerability assessment will be conducted to prepare family-specific livelihood plans.
The initiative will also promote market-driven skill training, digital market platforms and stronger community institutions to improve rural incomes. Vulnerable families will receive support based on their specific needs, including access to credit, skill enhancement, and welfare schemes.
For workers who are compelled to migrate, the project will facilitate access to fair wages, legal assistance, and social security benefits at destination locations. It will also ensure continuity of nutrition, healthcare, and pre-primary education services for children of migrant families while strengthening SHGs and their federations to enhance women’s economic empowerment.
Covering 69 blocks across eight districts
Project BLESS will be implemented in 69 blocks across eight migration-prone districts—Balangir, Bargarh, Kalahandi, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Koraput, Nabarangpur and Rayagada. The initiative is expected to benefit around 8.81 lakh rural families and 86,468 Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
Around 550 Jeevika Sakhis selected from SHGs will play a key role in grassroots implementation. The programme will be executed through SHGs, Cluster Level Federations (CLFs), and Gram Panchayat Level Federations (GPLFs).
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