Odisha Minister inaugurates Workshop on National Livelihood Mission

Bhubaneswar, Dec 21: A sensitization workshop on National Rural Livelihoods Mission was held at IDCOL Conference hall, here on Saturday. The workshop was inaugurated by Dr. Arun Kumar Sahoo, Honorable Minister, Panchayati Raj and Law.

In his inaugural remark, he reiterated the commitment of the Government of Odisha for eradication of poverty from the state. He also highlighted the promise of Panchayati Raj Department to make provision for infrastructure, basic services and improved livelihoods to create dent in rural poverty. NRLM is strongly poised to organize the poor households and build their capacities to make qualitative change in their livelihoods. Our responsibility is to ensure that everyone is living in dignity.

In fact the minister has emphasized that all the rural households must be brought under SHG in a war footing manner. It is envisaged that we can go upto ten lakh SHGs. He also appealed the participants to be passionate and draw satisfaction by seeing some smiles in the face of the poor.

The Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Department of Panchayati Raj put thrust on saturation of the state through NRLM programme, universalizing livelihoods activities and mainstreaming NRLM with a greater visibility. He said that SECC data provides a strong picture of the real target population and we must urgently act on this. We must work with the sense of purpose. It is a scheme which is diverse. It offers strong institutionalize mosaic.

SHGs at the neighbor level must federate into Cluster Level Forums, Gram Panchayat Level Federations and gradually move upto block and district level federation. Such institutions would reinforce each others strength and provide support base to ensure last mile coverage and possibly emerge as last resort for elimination of poverty.

He highlighted the recent government decision to limit the  lending rate to SHG member within 12 percent per annum and community finance must leverage livelihoods that would bring perceptive change in rural economy.

Director NRLM PJ Nath, Director Panchayatiraj Debendra Prasad Das and other senior officers were present in the workshop.