By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, August 10, 2017: Odisha on Thursday partnered with Facebook to train women entrepreneurs and Self Help Groups (SHGs) to promote entrepreneurship and digital literacy.

Inaugurating the Facebook workshop here on Thursday, chief minister Naveen Patnaik once again underscored the need for three Ts- technology, teamwork and transparency to bring about transformation in the lives of people. And the workshop, consisting of women entrepreneurs and Mission Shakti groups shows that the State is on the track, he remarked.

“Through the workshop, the government aims to reduce the digital divide and empower nearly 25,000 entrepreneurs and SHGs over the next one year,” Patnaik said, adding that ‘She Means Business’ and the BJD government believes that women are equal partners in homes and in the public sphere.

BJD wants an inclusive and equitable growth. Women from the State will now be able to connect to the 200 million Facebook users in our country and nearly 2 billion users worldwide, he added.

“Empowerment of our women is my topmost priority. Mission Shakti launched in 2001 has become a mass movement with nearly 50 lakh women”, the CM remarked.

These workshops will be held at various locations including Cuttack, Balasore, Berhampur, Angul, Sambalpur, Rourkela, Rayagada, Jeypore, Puri and Keonjhar.

The Facebook team would teach them the digital skills for promotion of their respective products/services so as to increase reach to larger and intended customer base, he added.

Rajat Arora, Policy Programs Manager, Facebook, India & South Asia said that new world skills will enable the Odisha’s entrepreneurs to accelerate their business through online exposure and integration with global markets.

“Our partnership with the Government of Odisha and the launch of #SheMeansBusiness in Odisha are steady steps towards the next phase of economic growth in the state,” he added.