Peren women SHGs at forefront in changing economy: World Bank
Chief operating officer, World Bank in India, Hisham Abdo Kahin, inspecting a basket of vegetable transported through gravity goods ropeway system, which was inaugurated in Punglwa village on September 16. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Punglwa | September 17
Chief operating officer, World Bank in India, Hisham Abdo Kahin, said investment in children education is the biggest investment as children are the future of any society or community.
The World Bank official who inaugurated three projects of the North East Rural Livelihood Project (NERLP) in Peren district on Monday made this remark after interacting with members of women SHGs.
Kahin said he had come to witness firsthand how the NERLP projects were impacting lives of the rural populace and conveyed happiness that the women SHGs of Peren were at the forefront in changing the economy at the grassroot level.
He said in his interaction with women SHG members, a number of them had informed that with the livelihood intervention activities initiated by NERLP, they have been able to send their children to school and pay tuition fees for the kids in schools and colleges.
“We at the World Bank know that when women earn money, the family benefits much more than men as bread earners”, Kahin said and added that investment in children education is the biggest investment. “These kids (children going to school and colleges) are the future of Punglwa”, he said.
He stated that the main objective of World Bank in partnering with the Government of India in NERLP was to improve the livelihood of rural people, especially women, unemployed youth and the most disadvantaged section of society.
The WB head in India also assured that though NERLP would wind up this September, WB would work in close coordination with the State government to continue its support to the people of Nagaland.
On his visit to Peren, the WB head inaugurated three NERLP projects under Punglwa village–Gravity goods ropeway, collection centre and feedmill.
Chief operating officer, RPMU, NERLP, Paul Lokho, said since inception in 2011, NERLP which covered 11 districts of four NE states – Mizoram, Tripura, Sikkim and Nagaland-has impacted the lives of 18 lakh villagers living in 1465 villages and helped form 28154 SHGs.
District project manager, NERLP Peren, Ruuvilie Kotsu, in his briefing about the progress of NERLP in the district (June 2012-June 2018), said the project has covered 81 villages. He also informed that through NERLP, 1033 SHGs and 93 SHG Village Federation were formed and to further own and conserve the natural resources of the community and improve scope for their livelihood, 81 community development group (CDG) were formed.
The cost of the three projects, as per the NERLP Peren officials, are gravity goods ropeway (Rs. 22, 066, 47), collection centre (Rs. 10, 082, 00) and feed mill (Rs. 30, 409, 07). Earlier, principal secretary, State Rural Department, Bendangkokba, chaired the inaugural programme.
