Kohima, May 9 (MExN): With an aim to enter the new financial year with renewed vision and clarity of objectives, the Nagaland State Rural Livelihoods Mission (NSRLM) began a workshop on roll-out of Annual Action Plan (AAP) 2017-18 for its staff on May 9. The workshop being organized at SIRD, Kohima will end on May 10.
A first of its kind for the NSRLM, the workshop will discuss in detail the AAP objectives so that the staff will be apprised and equipped with the knowledge and resources as they carry out the implementation of the year’s plan in line with the approved AAP, informed a press release.
In her keynote address, Athel O. Lotha, Addl. Secretary RD and Mission Director, NSRLM appreciated the staff for their commendable efforts in achieving 80% of FY 2016-17 targets despite the financial challenges the State Mission faced. She briefly highlighted FY 2017-18 strategies – Focus on intensive community mobilization for promotion of community institutions [Self Help Groups (SHGs)/Village Level Organisation (VLOs)] in the 11 new Intensive Blocks; Promotion and strengthening of SHGs and Higher Level Organization and intensive livelihoods interventions at Resource & Intensive Blocks; Enhance capacity of human resource at all levels; Strengthen community institution towards financial security through bank linkage and State specific innovative model; and strengthen program quality through quarterly monitoring and field support visits to the Mission Managements Units by the State Mission team. The MD called for renewed commitment and passion towards the common goals and objectives of bringing sustainable change in the lives of the rural poor, the release said.
Objectives of the workshop were shared in detail by the Chief Operating Officer (Programs), M. Rollan Lotha. He reiterated the community institutions (SHGs/VLOs/Federations) are the core of DAY-NRLM. That the State Mission will continue to engage its resources towards building enabling environment for the community institutions by complementing with services that include financial and capital services, production and productivity enhancement services, technology, knowledge, skills and inputs, market linkage, and a platform for convergence and partnerships with various stakeholders by building environment for the poor to access their rights and entitlements and public service thereby enabling them to enjoy a portfolio of sustainable livelihoods. This platform will be created through the ‘5-7 years in a Block strategy’ wherein year 1 focuses on intensive mobilization, promotion of community institutions and developing Community Cadres (Village Facilitators and Master Bookkeepers); year 2-3 focus on promotion of higher level community institutions and livelihoods interventions (collectives/groups), innovations and resource diversification; year 4 focuses on Communitisation of the program in the Block; and year 5-7 focus on strategic exit implementation from the block. He also highlighted FY 2017-18 objectives, strategies, activities, targets and expected outcomes.
District Functional Specialists, Block Program Managers and Area Coordinators are taking part in the workshop from the 9 NRLM districts of Nagaland.
On day 2, the districts will prepare respective district plans along with the State Mission Management Unit (SMMU) and present it before the house for discussions and future implementations.
