Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 214/06

WORKSHOP ON LIVELIHOOD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT LAUNCHED

Meghalaya Chief Minister, Dr. D D Lapang today inaugurated the 2-day workshop designed to launch the Livelihood Improvement Project for the Himalayas, a joint project of the Government of Meghalaya and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) at the K J P Assembly Convention Centre, Shillong. The workshop was organized by the Meghalaya Rural Development Society (MRDS) which is the nodal agency of IFAD programmes in the State of Meghalaya.

The primary objective of the project is to build alliances to overcome poverty and economic insecurities of vulnerable groups through sustainable livelihood promotion efforts and principle of self help by strengthening the local institutions that relate to livelihood development. The project will work towards enhancing the capabilities of local people to select appropriate livelihood opportunities, access required financial resources, manage new technologies and institutions at the village level and also increasing incomes through more sustainable income generating cultivation systems.

The project will work in the most remote and underdeveloped villages and the selection of villages is done taking into consideration specific critieria such as poverty level, educational status, ratio of irrigated to cultivable area and others. The project is implemented through the Meghalaya Rural Development Society (MRDS).

Speaking as the chief guest, Dr. Lapang hopes that the workshop will raise the expectations of the people of the State in terms of economic security and improvement of livelihood opportunities. He informed that the Government will undertake Livelihood improvement initiatives in the remaining five district of the State namely, Jaintia Hills, Ri Bhoi, East Garo Hills, South Garo Hills and East Khasi Hills, adding that more than 570 villages are expected to be covered under the project. He further informed that more than 30,000 households would be benefited at the village level that will be empowered to come up with their vision and perception of what they perceive as their development needs.

Dr. Lapang further asserted that the project has emphasized the need to bring in the concept of stakeholdership. He said that the project has already engaged the services of the State level NGOs. He felt the urgent need for convergence of efforts and resources to lift the economy of Meghalaya. He stated that the creation of the viable market linkage for the local products has been the greatest bottleneck towards a sustainable development, adding that this project has not neglected this crucial issue and both the forward and the backward linkages of production have been addressed which provides the avenue for value addition of produces.

Dr Lapang also stressed on the need for better education at the primary level and also the need for better rural health care. He hopes that the project management would also pay particular attention to the primary needs of the rural society.

Among others who spoke on the occasion were the Chief Secretary, Mr S K Tiwari, Senior Portfolio Manager, UNOPS, IFAD, Mr Kishan Gill and the Project Director, MRDS, Mr E P Kharbhih.