Jaipur, Oct 30 (IANS) A high-level 29-member delegation from the Government of Ethiopia visited Rajasthan on October 29 and 30 to gain insights into the community-based livelihood and women’s empowerment initiatives being implemented under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) in the state.

The delegation comprised 15 members from the Ethiopian government, three from the World Bank, seven from Micro-Save Consulting, and four from the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM).

The visit aimed to understand the structure, implementation, and outcomes of Rajasthan’s rural livelihood programs facilitated by the Rajasthan Grameen Ajeevika Vikas Parishad (Rajeevika).

On October 29, the Ethiopian delegation visited various villages in Alwar district, where they interacted with Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Village Organisations (VOs), and Cluster-Level Federations (CLFs) managed by women under the Rajeevika framework.

The delegation observed the processes of SHG formation, inter-loaning mechanisms, and income-generating activities undertaken through Producer Groups (PGs) and Producer Enterprises (PEs).

The Ethiopian officials appreciated the community-driven model and the leadership demonstrated by SHG women. They expressed admiration for the efforts made towards sustainable rural livelihoods and women’s socio-economic empowerment.

On Thursday, the delegation visited the State Project Management Unit (SPMU) of Rajeevika in Jaipur, where they were formally welcomed. During the session, District Project Managers presented detailed insights into Rajeevika’s ongoing programmes and innovations.

Neha Giri, IAS, State Mission Director, Rajeevika, delivered a comprehensive presentation highlighting various rural development programmes implemented in Rajasthan under the aegis of the Ministry of Rural Development.

She elaborated on the convergence between different government schemes and the role of community-based institutions in fostering inclusive development.

The meeting was attended by senior officials from participating banks, who apprised the delegation of the credit linkages and financial mechanisms extended to SHGs across the state.

Senior bankers from SLBC, SBI, PNB, RGB, BoI, ICICI AND HDFC were present for a detailed discussion related to enhanced financial inclusion.

The meeting, chaired by Neha Giri, IAS, State Mission Director, was attended by senior representatives from the high-level Ethiopian delegation and the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), along with the Project Director (Administration) and State Project Managers from Rajeevika.

The discussions during the meeting offered valuable insights into Rajasthan’s model of rural livelihoods, community mobilisation, and women-led enterprise development.

–IANS

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