North East Rural Livelihoods Project handed over to NSRLM

Eastern Mirror Desk

Dimapur, Oct. 4: The North East Rural Livelihoods Project (NERLP) was officially handed over to the care of Nagaland State Rural Livelihoods Mission (NSRLM) during the handing-over programme held at Zeliangrong Baudi hall in Jalukie town on October 4.

NERLP was launched on March 12, 2012 by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) as a central sector scheme in four north-eastern states namely Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. It is an externally-aided poverty-eradication project funded by the World Bank incorporating SHG model, and community-based resource management model with a focus on livelihood initiatives.

Athel O Lotha, additional secretary RD and mission director, NSRLM, lauded the NERLP for its tireless efforts in changing the lives of the poor.

“This handing-taking-over of NERLP by NSRLM is not the end of NERLP; in fact it is a celebration of landmark achievement of NERLP in the districts of Tuensang and Peren, having created commendable livelihoods assets for the community” Lotha stated.

She assured that NERLP is being handed over to NSRLM from “one dedicated and committed social development professional team to another equally dedicated and committed social development professional team”.

She appealed for collective effort from all the stakeholders like government departments, village functionaries, community institutions, NGOs, CBOs and individuals to ensure and foster the lives of the rural communities.

Ruuvilie Kotsu, district project manager NERLP, Peren, gave a brief presentation on the works and programmes of NERLP in Peren. According to the presentation, the support by the project to ‘create a higher level in the livelihood on value chain was initiated in the district.’ As a result, there are agri collection centres in seven villages and five roadside market sheds in the district.

Market sheds for SHG produce products were constructed in Jalukie town while pineapple fruit processing unit was constructed in Mhainamtsi village, tree tomato processing unit in Perenkipeujang, and spices processing unit in Songlhuh village. Yarn bank was set up in Tening village and another one in Jalukie CLBRC centre. Bonkholong village installed a rice mill with a capacity of 500KG per hour, it stated.

Paul Lokho, chief operating officer, Regional Project Management Unit (RPMU), officially handed over the documents and files of NERLP to the representative of NSRLM at the programme. Lokho stated that out of the four states in Northeast, “we have good faith in NSRLM in taking over the work.”

He also disclosed that DPMU Peren stands second in all the 11 districts selected in NE, adding that “world bank has rated three sectors satisfactory to NERLP.”