NEW DELHI, 7 Mar: The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) and the Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ArSRLM) have signed an MoU to launch a project focused on empowering women self-help group (SHG) entrepreneurs in Arunachal Pradesh.
The initiative will strengthen value chains and promote sustainable development by equipping women with essential business skills, financial literacy, and digital tools.
“Arunachal boasts a vibrant SHG ecosystem, with over 1.3 lakh members actively engaged in diverse entrepreneurial ventures, including handicrafts, agriculture, and food processing. Despite their significant progress, SHGs face challenges such as limited market access, financial exclusion, and information asymmetry, hindering their growth potential. To address these challenges, IIT Delhi’s management studies department has developed a structured curriculum, comprising workshops, mentorship, and hands-on learning modules, initially targeting 100 SHG businesswomen. The programme will include sessions on value chain analysis and product development to help women entrepreneurs transition towards formal business structures and increase their market competitiveness,” the ArSRLM informed in a release.
At the MoU signing ceremony, Arunachal’s Rural Development Secretary Dr Sonal Swaroop emphasised the initiative’s alignment with the ArSRLM’s mission, saying, “Empowering women entrepreneurs through skill development, digital tools, and market access is key to transforming rural livelihoods. This project will enable SHG members to engage more effectively with financial and commercial networks and integrate into value chains for increased economic opportunities.”
ArSRLM CEO Sangeeta Yirang stressed the importance of contextualised interventions, highlighting that “the project’s success depends on its deep integration with Arunachal Pradesh’ socioeconomic realities.”
She said that a tailored, hands-on approach would ensure sustainable business growth.
ArSRLM COO (P) Jechoniya Islary spoke on the challenges faced by SHG entrepreneurs, such as limited market access, need of supply chain solutions, inconsistent product branding, and financial literacy gaps. He explained that “this collaboration with IIT Delhi will provide targeted solutions for sustainable scaling.”
Prof Seema Sharma of IIT Delhi stated, “This project will create a cascading effect, fostering entrepreneurial confidence, strengthening local value chains, and advancing financial inclusion for women in Arunachal Pradesh.”
Prof Gourav Dwivedi of IIT Delhi highlighted the potential of the award-winning Arunachal SHG movement, and added, “Apart from the current project, this MoU is a starting point that will open new doors for collaboration, attracting brilliant minds from IIT Delhi to develop specific solutions that can lead to increased entrepreneurial activities and a thriving ecosystem for overall development in Arunachal Pradesh.”
“This collaboration marks a significant step towards fostering women-led micro-businesses and driving positive social and economic change in Arunachal,” the ArSRLM said.
