India’s Development Linked To Women’s Empowerment, Says CM Pema Khandu At SARAS Fair

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Posted in Arunachal Pradesh, Featured, Northeast
NET Web Desk

Itanagar, Jan 14: Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday emphasized the critical connection between India’s development and the empowerment of women, during the inauguration of the annual SARAS fair in Itanagar.

Khandu stated that the growth of India is directly linked to the progress of the Northeast, and the region’s development hinges on the advancement of Arunachal Pradesh’s villages, which in turn depends on the empowerment of rural women. “India will develop when the Northeast develops, and the Northeast will develop when Arunachal develops. Arunachal will develop when its villages develop, and villages will develop when women of the villages develop,” he said.

The SARAS fair, organized by the state government, serves as a platform for rural artisans to showcase and sell their handicrafts, handlooms, organic products, and food items, connecting them to national and international markets while promoting sustainable livelihoods.

Khandu highlighted that the state’s SHGs collectively manage a corpus of Rs 300 crores, underscoring the significant economic contributions of rural women. He also noted that over 1,600 women in the state have achieved “lakhpati didi” status through their involvement in diverse livelihood activities.

The Chief Minister also launched several initiatives under the Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ArSRLM) to further empower rural artisans, including handloom, handicraft, crochet, knitting, and embroidery clusters. Each cluster will receive seed capital and specialized training to enhance artisans’ skills and improve their livelihoods.

Additionally, Khandu announced plans for a permanent marketing outlet in the state capital for SHG products, which will provide year-round sales opportunities. The government is also setting up an inventory and fulfillment hub to facilitate the sale of SHG products on e-commerce platforms, expanding their market reach.

The Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission, which began in 2016, has now expanded to include over 1.4 lakh households and 14,000 SHGs across the state. SHGs from other states, including Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland, are also participating in this year’s SARAS fair.

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