ITANAGAR, Feb 24: As part of its key initiative towards empowering rural youth and SHGs, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) launched a Skill Development Programme (SDP) on ‘Sewing Machine Operator’, involving 30 unemployed individuals from rural areas and SHGs in Alubari, Chongkham block.
Sponsored by NABARD and executed by the Bethel Life Care Charitable Trust (BLCCT) in collaboration with the Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ArSRLM), the SDP was launched at Chowkham in Namsai district today.
Kamal Roy, District Development Manager (DDM) at NABARD, graced the occasion as chief guest. Also present were Chandan Prasad, president of BLCCT; Rithi Mega, representative from ArSRLM; members of the Gram Panchayat as well as trainees and members of SHGs.
DDM Roy, in his speech, reiterated the significance of SDPs in elevating the socio-economic status of rural communities, especially women entrepreneurs. He elaborated NABARD’s initiatives to promote Geographical Indications (GI) products, emphasizing their distinctive quality and contribution to rural economies.
Prasad elucidated that the training programme aims to enhance the skills of rural women in producing indigenous designs. He emphasized that the curriculum aligns with the national occupational standards set by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).
Mega extended congratulations to the beneficiaries and urged the trainees to seize the opportunity provided through mentoring support. Stressing the importance of upgrading and innovating local products, Mega encouraged women artisans to venture into entrepreneurship.
Jyoti Kumari Puran, Mentor for the Startup Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) from Kudumbashree NRO, expressed optimism about the SDP’s impact on SHGs. She highlighted its role in skill enhancement and employment generation, whether through job placements or self-employment ventures.
Puran assured the trainees of continued support post-training to ensure sustainable livelihoods.
The launch event also included distribution of kits to the trainees.