Northeast conclave held in Shillong

The Meghalaya State Rural Livelihoods Society (MSRLS), in collaboration with The/Nudge Institute, Bangalore, organized a one-day Northeast Conclave today. The event focused on "Strengthening Ecosystems for Inclusive Development of the Most Excluded" and aimed to bring together stakeholders, State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLM) from Northeast States, sector experts, academicians, policymakers, and civil society members. The goal was to deliberate on strategies to develop a robust ecosystem for the inclusive development of the Most Excluded/Poorest of the Poor (PoP) in the Northeast region.

The Conclave was inaugurated with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by Charanjit Singh, IFS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, who served as the chief guest. A.T. Mondal, Minister of Power, Community & Rural Development, Government of Meghalaya, also graced the event. Other notable attendees included Shri B. Rajsekhar, IAS, Special Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh; Shri Sampath Kumar, IAS, Development Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Government of Meghalaya; and representatives from the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) of Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Bihar, and Jharkhand.

In his address, A.T. Mondal highlighted the various livelihood opportunities available to rural communities. He cited Khweng village in Ri-Bhoi district as an example, where traditional embroidery practices have led to a profitable partnership with USHA International Ltd. He also emphasized the significant momentum gained by the women Self Help Group (SHG) movement in Meghalaya since 2018.