T. Thakur Khalkho, Joint Secretary and Financial Advisor, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, visited the Unakoti District Mission Management Unit (DMMU) on Friday. The visit formed part of her three-day tour of Tripura to review livelihood initiatives supported by the Tripura Rural Livelihood Mission (TRLM). Khalkho inspected several women-led enterprises run by Self-Help Group (SHG) members. She also interacted with SHG members and reviewed their work in enterprise development, skill training, natural farming and value addition.
Key Facts
- Location: Unakoti district, Tripura
- Official: T. Thakur Khalkho
- Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India
- Mission: Tripura Rural Livelihood Mission (TRLM)
- Visit: Three-day visit to Tripura
- Focus: Women-led SHG livelihood enterprises
- Key areas: Skill development, natural farming, value addition and enterprise development
MoRD Official Visits Unakoti DMMU
Khalkho visited the Unakoti DMMU as part of her review of rural livelihood programmes in Tripura.
TRLM CEO Tarit Kanti Chakma, Unakoti District Magistrate and Collector Megha Jain, and senior TRLM officials accompanied her during the visit.
The team reviewed various initiatives that help women SHG members develop sustainable income sources.
Inspection of Women-Led Enterprises
During the visit, Khalkho inspected several enterprises promoted through TRLM.
These included a Packaging Unit, Training Centre supported by USHA, Aggregation Centre, Sampanna, natural farming initiative and Sanjog Canteen.
The enterprises demonstrate how SHG members are expanding their economic activities through collective efforts and locally focused businesses.
Focus on Women’s Economic Participation
The visit highlighted the growing contribution of women SHG members to rural economic activities.
Through enterprise development, skill enhancement, natural farming and value addition, SHG members are working to create sustainable livelihood opportunities.
These initiatives also encourage women to participate more actively in community-based economic activities.
Khalkho Interacts With SHG Members
Khalkho interacted with women SHG members during the visit and observed their work across different livelihood enterprises.
She reviewed their efforts to establish and strengthen community-based businesses. The interaction also provided an opportunity to understand the progress and experiences of women involved in TRLM-supported initiatives.
Importance of Rural Livelihood Initiatives
Women-led SHG enterprises can create opportunities for income generation while strengthening local economic activity.
Initiatives involving natural farming, packaging, aggregation, food services and training can also support skill development and value addition within rural communities.
The Unakoti visit therefore provided an opportunity to review how livelihood interventions are supporting women’s economic participation and self-reliance.
Questions and Answers
What did T. Thakur Khalkho visit in Tripura?
She visited the Unakoti District Mission Management Unit as part of a three-day Tripura visit to review rural livelihood initiatives.
Which organisation supports the initiatives?
The livelihood enterprises operate with support from the Tripura Rural Livelihood Mission (TRLM).
Which enterprises did Khalkho inspect?
She inspected a Packaging Unit, Training Centre supported by USHA, Aggregation Centre, Sampanna, a natural farming initiative and Sanjog Canteen.
Who accompanied the MoRD official?
TRLM CEO Tarit Kanti Chakma, Unakoti District Magistrate and Collector Megha Jain, along with senior TRLM officials, accompanied her.
Why are these initiatives important?
They support women SHG members in developing skills, creating livelihood opportunities, adding value to products and building community-based enterprises.
Tripura and Northeast India Context
Unakoti is one of Tripura’s districts where rural livelihood programmes can support women’s economic participation and strengthen community-based enterprises. Such initiatives are also relevant to the wider Northeast, where rural communities rely heavily on agriculture, local enterprises and collective livelihood activities.
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