JAIRAMPUR/DEOMALI, 24 Sep: NABARD General Manager (GM) Partho Saha launched two rural marts, in Jairampur (Changlang) and Deomali (Tirap), on Saturday, in the presence of NABARD DDM Kamal Roy, the facilitating agencies, members of SHGs, and progressive farmers.
The marts were sanctioned to SHGs Aaram Aara and Phonpong, respectively, and were facilitated by the Bethel Life Care Charitable Trust and the Patkai Hills Welfare Society), respectively.
“The NABARD provides grant assistance covering operational costs like rent and salary of salespersons, besides basic capital costs. It will provide the SHGs with marketing outlets for their products, as well as the products aggregated from other SHGs,” the NABARD stated in a release.
The marts are aimed at providing employment and livelihood opportunities to many SHG members and families.
“We are happy at being able to extend our footprints in the remote corners of the state, especially Tirap and Changlang, which were yet to be part of the mainstream development,” said Saha, and emphasised on “the importance of discipline and focus to make the venture successful.”
In Deomali, the GM announced that bamboo processed tea, locally known as khelap/phalap/felap tea, “has been taken up for GI registration by the NABARD, and the application has already been filed successfully, which will give a unique identity to the product.”
The NABARD DDM also spoke.
Later, Saha laid the foundation stone for the construction of a rural haat in Hukanjuri in Tirap district.
The marketing infrastructure was funded by the NABARD’s Itanagar-based regional office, and will be implemented by NGO Seva Samity.
Seva Samity secretary Jaawang Lowangcha said that the upcoming rural haat “will help mitigate the marketing hardship faced by the local farmers, vegetable growers and women SHGs to sell their agriculture and horticulture produce.”