The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) on Friday launched two new rural haats in Arunachal Pradesh — one in Namsai and one in Wakro — aimed at giving farmers and self-help groups (SHGs) a dedicated space to sell their produce and grow their income.
The markets have been set up at 2nd Mile in Namsai and in Wakro, Lohit district.
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NABARD General Manager S V Ranga Rao inaugurated both facilities. He was joined by Kamal Roy, Assistant General Manager (District Development), along with officials from the Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ArSRLM), local banks, SHG members, and farmers.
The haats were established with support from two implementing agencies — NOSAAP Producer Company and the Rumai Primary Level Federation of SHGs — both of which operate under ArSRLM.
The Namsai haat, located at the busy 2nd Mile area, is designed to serve as a regular marketplace for local farmers, vendors, and SHG members.
CEO of NOSAAP, Chau Athina Chauhai, outlined the organisation's ongoing work in farm and off-farm sectors backed by NABARD. Block Mission Manager of ArSRLM, Ronald Dakhar Baghwar, spoke about SHG-led livelihood programmes and plans for future expansion.
One of the notable highlights at Namsai was the introduction of low-cost sabji coolers — units developed by IIT Bombay that keep vegetables fresh without electricity. Three units were handed over to SHG beneficiaries to help cut post-harvest losses.
Ranga Rao also distributed vegetable seeds under the JIVA natural farming project, which promotes crop diversification and eco-friendly agricultural practices. He reaffirmed NABARD's commitment to grassroots development across the state.
At Wakro, the second haat has been set up by the Rumai Primary Level Federation. It provides SHGs not just with a selling platform, but also with dedicated office space for federation activities.
Kenri Bagra, speaking on behalf of SHG members, thanked NABARD for expanding income opportunities in the area. The local State Bank of India branch manager assured continued support for SHG credit linkage to fund income-generating activities.
The event also saw the distribution of bamboo saplings through the Industries Foundation, which has partnered with ArSRLM to promote bamboo-based livelihoods in the region.
District Coordinator Chetjawa Mannow said the initiative aims to build long-term, sustainable income through bamboo cultivation.
Addressing SHG members, Ranga Rao encouraged them to actively pursue enterprise development and make full use of the SHG-Bank linkage programme — a flagship initiative pioneered by NABARD to strengthen rural entrepreneurship.
Kamal Roy, in his remarks, underlined the importance of financial inclusion, skill development, and sustainable livelihood promotion as pillars of rural growth.
Officials described the launch of both haats as an important step toward building durable market infrastructure for farming communities in Namsai and Lohit districts.