"I took a loan of Rs one lakh, I have paid back most of it, I am yet to pay back Rs 40,000 now. I never dreamt I would become the woman I am today. Before I was only staying home, I had no clue about saving money or speaking in public like this. I have more confidence and courage about things. This project has really helped me in so many different ways," said Akulie Zeliang, a Northeast Rural Livelihood Project (NERLP) beneficiary.

Launched in 2012, the NERLP has brought a progressive change and benefitted a large number of people especially women in Nagaland.

Under this project, 1033 self-help groups (SHG), 93 SHG's village federations, 81 community development groups are working towards garnering and generating resources to propel the grassroots economy and livelihood. Till now, 15,567 households, covering a total of 92 villages (81 recognized villages) in Nagaland, have been included under the project.

While talking about the success of the NERLP, Basubale, Secretary of SHG Village Federation, said, "We got a market shed constructed under the NERLP, more farmers are getting involved as it has improved their livelihood at the same time it has become a source of income. Moreover, this has become a platform for the farmers to sell their products and earn from it."

The project envisages social empowerment, economic empowerment, partnership development, project management, and value change development of the rural population in North-Eastern states.

Through the scheme, Peren and Tuensang districts of Nagaland have been benefited the most. According to reports, in Peren, under the project, 815 youths are registered for youth skill development and training, 432 have been trained so far out of which 159 got placements. In the livelihood training provided under NERLP, 719 persons have undergone training in the piggery, 328 in spices, 242 in vegetable and 35 in soap making.

"The activities which we have done. We are promoting like the backward leakages, and we also have pig rearing .We have around 4000 live pigs at present. The earlier tradition of rearing has also improved," said Ruvilie Kuotsu, NERLP beneficiary from Peren district.

The project was launched by the Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) with an aim to improve the rural livelihood, especially that of women, unemployed youth and the most disadvantaged, in four northeastern states of Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)