CM launches North East Rural Livelihoods Project in Sikkim

GANGTOK, 27 Nov [IPR]: Chief Minister Pawan Chamling in the presence of the Minister of State, DoNER, Paban Singh Ghatowar, formally launched the North East Rural Livelihoods Project (NERLP) today in a function organized at Chintan Bhawan, here in the capital.
The NERLP, funded by the World Bank, is a multi-state rural poverty alleviation project. The project’s objective is to improve rural livelihoods especially that of women, unemployed youth and the most disadvantaged in four North Eastern States [Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim].
The project is being implemented in two districts each of Sikkim (South and West), Mizoram, Nagaland and in five districts of Tripura. Apart from the two districts in Sikkim the project will also be implemented in 15 poorest wards of East district.
The project has been officially announced with effect from March 2012. The various activities to be taken up are defined in terms of prescribed component costs and financial projection is made year wise and for the whole five year period.
The project will cover nearly 3,00,000 households in 1,624 villages of 60 blocks covering 11 districts of the above mentioned four states.
The various financial supports envisaged in the project in Sikkim for enhancing the livelihood of the poor are; seed capital for Self-Help Groups; Livelihood funds to SHGs/Federation of SHGs; Community Development plans for resource management and critical infrastructure to community development groups; Start-up and working capitals to Producers Groups; Training of unemployment youth for self-employment and placement; Innovative fund; partnership development with technical institutes.
After formally launching the project while addressing the gathering, the chief guest for the occasion, the Chief Minister stated that it gave him immense pleasure to make a landmark beginning in the Rural Development Programme for the North East region.
In the context of Sikkim, he said, “I am very happy to mention that this will lend added dimension to the ongoing programs of capacity building and livelihood training schools which the government has already established across the State of Sikkim”.
Mr. Chamling also informed that Sikkim has become the first state in India to offer wide-ranging training on capacity building of the youth through skill development and augmentation. Youth are trained in different service sector industries, the Chief Minister said.
Duly strengthening the existing Directorate, the State Government also established the State Institute of Capacity Building as an autonomous Institute to undertake skill development of the youth of Sikkim. Under the programs at the Institute, the capacities of unemployed youth are developed to enable them to earn their livelihood and make them economically sound.
42 Livelihood Schools across the State have been established. The trainees in Livelihood Schools generally come from low income groups of far flung areas. The Government pays scholarship grant of upto Rs. 3000 per month to the trainees, he added.
“We all know that we can progressively tap potentialities in our rural areas; our state economy, social values, culture are being preserved and promoted by our rural community. The State Government is committed to the holistic development of the entire state with emphasis on rural upliftment through various central and state programs including village tourism, homestays, floriculture, horticulture and activities under animal husbandry sector”, the Chief Minister affirmed.
Mr. Chamling further informed the gathering that in the same line, his government is going to begin another important poverty alleviation programme called ‘Sikkim State Rural Livelihood Mission’ with the same aim of universal mobilization of rural community, building Self Help Groups and their federations covering entire households in the project area.
“On principle, both National Rural Livelihood Mission and NERLP are similar projects having almost identical objectives and implementing strategies and therefore I expect both these projects to develop a common platform to share experiences, exchanging lessons learnt and developing a common strategy workable for our community. They must work together towards attaining the project objectives and for betterment of the community”, he stressed.
Mr. Chamling also expressed his happiness that with this project the principles of empowering rural poor particularly women, building robust grass-root institutions, and making them capable by improving their knowledge and skill will get a huge impetus.
He also called upon all the project team members to take the advantage of ideal atmosphere prevailing in Sikkim towards promoting developmental initiatives and to develop partnership and understanding with rural community for making effective delivery of services.
Minister of State, DoNER, Government of India, Paban Singh Ghatowar who also addressed the inaugural session expressed his happiness to see the project being launched in Sikkim and hoped that the real populace of the two concerned districts and 15 GPUs of East district will take full advantage of the project to empower especially women of the areas.
He also informed that the project is one of the best implemented projects in the country and 11% of the total amount will be spent in Sikkim. The project’s objective is to improve rural livelihood especially that of women, unemployed youth and the most disadvantaged in four North Eastern States. In fact, this is one of the very unique projects taken up by the Government to strengthen the grass-root level, he added.
“We are delighted to launch the project, which was rated one of the best projects in the country, in Sikkim”, said Mr Ghatowar.
Earlier the programme began with the welcome note by the Secretary Rural Management Development Department, D.R Nepal.
The function was also addressed by Secretary, NEC & Chairman NELPS, NERLP, Ameising Luikham and Project Director, NERLP, H.K Hajong who gave the over view on the project.
The Chief Minister and the guest of honour, Minister of State, DoNER, Government of India, Paban Singh Ghatowar also presented cheques to Community Based Institutions during the function.