NERLP Project bringing ray of hope to rural people in Nagaland

Guwahati: Northeast Rural Livelihood Project (NERLP) bringing a new ray of hope to people of Nagaland.

Launched in 2012, the NERLP project has brought a progressive change and benefitted a large number of people especially women in Nagaland. Under this project 1033 self help groups ( SHG). 93, village federations, 81 community development groups are working towards garnering and generating resources to propel the grassroots economy and livelihood. Till now 15567 households, covering a total of 92 villages (81 recognised villages) in Nagaland have been included under the project.

While talking about the success of the NERLP, Basubale, Secretary of SHG Village Federation, said,"We got a market shed constructed under the NERLP, more farmers are getting involved as it has improved their livelihood at the same time it has become a source of incomeMoreover, this has become a platform for the farmers to sell their products and earn from ."

The project envisages social empowerment, economic empowerment, partnership development, project management and value change development for the rural population in the north eastern states.

Talking about how the project has brought changes to the lives of the people of the state,Akulie Zeliang, a beneficiary of the project said, "I took a loan of Rs one lakh, I have paid back most of it, I am yet to pay back Rs 40,000 now. I never dreamt I would become the women I am today. Before I was only staying at home, I had no clue about saving money or speaking in public like this. I have more confidence and courage about things. This project has really helped me in so many different ways.

The two districts of, Peren and Tuensang in the state, have been benefited the most by the NERLP project. According to reports,inPeren, under the project 815 youths are registered for youth skill development and training, 432 have been trained so far out of which 159 got placement. In the livelihood training provided under NERLP, 719 persons have undergone training in the piggery, 328 in spices, 242 in vegetable and 35 in soap making.

Talking about the activities done under the project Ruvilie Kuotsu, NERLP beneficiary from Peren district, said, "We are undertaking activities like promoting the backward leakages, and we also have pig rearing. We have around 4000 live pigs at present. The earlier tradition of rearing has also improved. The project was launched by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) with an aim to improve the rural livelihood, especially that of women, unemployed youth and the most disadvantaged, in four northeastern states of Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura