Members of Assam State Livelihood Mission team met Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS) CEO Rajiv Kumar and praised the work being done under the livelihood mission in the State. Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission Director Krishna Barua during an exposure programme visited various districts in the last four days to observe and learn the work being done under NRLM.

Barua describes the work done for livelihood promotion in Jharkhand as incomparable and sought technical assistance for speeding up quality livelihood promotion in Assam. JSLPS CEO informed Barua about the various livelihood activities going on in the State and also assured technical assistance for initiatives in Assam. Groups of women from JSLPS will also visit Assam for formation and technical training of Jharkhand women working in the tea estates there.

During the four- day visit members from Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission took information about the development oriented best practices being implemented in the rural areas of the State under NRLM (livelihood mission) and also interacted with the women of Sakhi Mandal regarding the benefits of these projects. The delegation also reviewed and appreciated the work being done under the brand Palash in Ranchi.

Barua has also sought technical help for her state under which pashu sakhi and krishak mitra from Jharkhand will visit the state and train the women there. Impressed by the various livelihood promotion work undertaken for the community under the Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana, the Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission has also sought help for projects in the state.

Barua along with State Programme Manager Dhurba Jyoti Gogoi and Anandita reviewed the ongoing work in Ranchi, Khunti and East Singhbhum.

“It is a great pleasure to see the pace of development work going on in the rural areas of Jharkhand. The development work here is definitely followable and we will include them in our activities. The enthusiasm and loyalty of the women of Sakhi Mandal of Jharkhand is commendable and amazing,” said Barua.

On the first day officials from Assam visited the unit under Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana in Namkum and Khunti. On the second day, members came to know about the various agriculture based livelihood projects in the Angada block in Ranchi. The delegates leaned about the Johar Project and how women are growing three crops a year from drip irrigation under the JHIMDI Project. Officals also interacted with community cadres such as Aajeevika Krishak Mitra, Aajeevika Pashu Sakhi and learned how rural women are earning a livelihood by providing various services in their villages.

On the third day, officials interacted with families of Sabar community in East Singhbhum and learned about the ongoing benefits under the National Rural Livelihood Mission.

Officials from Assam also interacted with change makers in Gobarghusa village and leaned how community cadre and making efforts to join PVTG families to stream of development work. “If we want to connect people from backward communities with development then the entire community along with the government will have to move forward under the concerned effort. Only then will the overall development of villages and villagers be possible,” said Barua.

Other states are also adopting the unique initiatives for livelihood promotion and capacity building of community cadre through Sakhi Mandal of Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society under the Rural Development Department.