Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prashad Rajkhowa today emphasized on the development of villages, especially those in border areas, to economically empower rural communities.
Economic empowerment should be provided through value addition to agricultural and horticultural products and non-timber forest produce besides sustainable livelihoods, including promotion and modernization of handloom and handicraft, improved agricultural and horticultural activities, poultry, piggery, tourism, dairy farming and aquaculture, the governor said during a meeting with Bharat Rural Livelihood Foundation (BRLF) chairman Dr Mihir Shah, who met him today.
He suggested that BRLF should pay special attention to establishment of de-addiction and rehabilitation of drug addicts, planning of suitable schemes for alternative livelihood of farmers engaged in illicit cultivation of opium in several districts and special development of the districts of Tirap, Changlang and Longding under NEC sponsored NERCOMP (North Eastern Community Resource Management Project) and other opium-affected districts as well, a Raj Bhawan communique said.
Rajkhowa stressed on skill development and initiative towards integrated habitat improvement, including housing, drinking water, electricity, medical facility and sanitation.
Earlier, Dr Shah briefed that BRLF aims to facilitate and upscale civil society action in partnership with government for transforming livelihoods and lives of rural households, with an emphasis on women, particularly in the tribal regions.
The Foundation is constituted as a partnership between the Centre on the one hand and private sector philanthropies, private and public sector undertakings, under Corporate Social Responsibility on the other hand, the communique said.
