The Department of Mission Shakti, Government of Odisha, in partnership with the Initiative on the Forest Economy at the Bharti Institute of Public Policy, Indian School of Business, has launched the transformative Sulabhaa Green Business Enterprise Leadership Cohort. This initiative aims to establish 30 women-led, forest-based enterprises across six districts—Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Koraput, and Malkangiri. As part of this effort, a network of 300 women leaders has been formed. Each Green Shakti Producer Company will soon integrate at least 1,000 primary producers, directly enhancing the incomes of 30,000 women across the state.
The Sulabhaa initiative is a first-of-its-kind, large-scale program that offers an unconventional, semi-structured six-month induction grounded in self-transformation, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills. Structured as a fellowship, the program combines real-world experience in starting and managing a Producer Company with a comprehensive training curriculum covering financial literacy, leadership, business management, and sustainable resource utilization. The initiative focuses on four key pillars: promoting structured and formal women-led community business enterprises, enhancing entrepreneurial capabilities, facilitating market integration, and advancing scalable, sustainable business models.
