ITANAGAR, 8 Jan: Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, GoAP secretary Sonal Swaroop has emphasized the importance of leveraging local resources and capacities to build scalable and sustainable rural enterprises within Arunachal Pradesh.
She was speaking during the inaugural programme of Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission’s (ArSRLM) ‘Regional Workshop on Annual Action Plan (AAP) for FY 2025-26’ focusing on non-farm livelihoods, at the State Banquet Hall here on Wednesday.
The secretary also highlighted the potential of ArSRLM in creating vibrant non-farm enterprises and fostering entrepreneurship for rural development.
The three-day workshop brings together state mission director and chief executive officer along with the senior officials from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim and Mizoram State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs) to deliberate on strategies and pathways for strengthening non-farm livelihoods under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) and prepare budget allocations for the upcoming financial year. The workshop includes discussions on comprehensive planning, progress reviews and enhanced monitoring systems. with a particular focus on fostering sustainable non-farm enterprises. A key highlight of the event is the emphasis on initiatives such as ‘Lakhpati Didi,’ which aim to empower rural women and enable them to achieve substantial and sustainable income growth.
The inaugural program was also attended by joint secretary (rural livelihoods), ministry of rural development (MoRD) Swati Sharma, who shared the vision for financial year 2025-26. She also emphasized the critical role of non-farm livelihoods in transforming rural economies and empowering communities.
The inaugural session also included a presentation by Rajib Lochan Pathak, consultant (SFURTI), Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship, on ‘Viable Business Models and Employment Creation.’ The session explored innovative approaches for scaling up non-farm livelihoods and creating sustainable rural employment opportunities.
