NHPC implementing Livelihood Intervention Projects in Lakhimpur, Dhemaji dists
NORTH LAKHIMPUR, Dec 21 - The National Hydro-electrical Power Corporation (NHPC), engaged in the construction of 2000 MW Lower Subansiri Hydro Electrical Power project in Gerukamukh, is implementing Livelihood Intervention Projects (LIP) in the districts of Lakhimpur and Dhemaji under Downstream Developmental Works in consultation with Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), Gujarat.
Livelihood intervention in piggery, sericulture and handloom has been taken up in these districts by NHPC as per the approval of Core Group of Assam, a high-level committee constituted by the government of Assam to oversee implementation of downstream works by the NHPC.
The project envisages creation of farmer-producer company in each sector on AMUL pattern, wherein farmers and weavers are the owners of the producing company for which entrepreneur training is also being imparted to the farmers.
Moreover, in order to strengthen women empowerment in rural India, only women farmers and weavers have been included as beneficiaries.
In addition to sensitization, capacity building, technological upgradation, creating required infrastructure at farmer-level with equity contribution and establishing Common Facility Centres at company level, NHPC in consultation with IRMA and through network partners, is also aiming to establish sustainable market linkages.
In case of handloom, NHPC, through its network partner, has engaged qualified designers who are helping weavers to weave rich traditional clothes of the North East with contemporary designs blended with natural colours so as to create some unique fabric. In order to motivate the weavers and promote the products under SAAR Handloom, Haryana, weavers of Lakhimpur and Dhemaji will be participating in the Winter Mela organized by Dastkar at Nature Baazar, Kissan Haat at Delhi from December 12 to 23.
Dastkar is a private non-for-profit NGO established in 1981, working to support traditional Indian crafts people, many of them women and village-based, so that they regain their place in the economic mainstream. NHPC�s LIP initiative is bolstering the confidence of the weavers and also helping them to establish a brand of their own. The NHPC is planning that weavers would be participating in more exhibitions in the future and that with registration of farmer-producer company, products would also be sold through various e-commerce platforms. NHPC envisages engaging weavers in both B2B and B2C types of market linkages.
NHPC has also undertaken river bank protection and erosion control measures in the downstream areas of Subansiri.
