Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 09 October 2024
The Ministry of Rural Development, under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), has launched the Model CLF (Cluster Level Federation) Strategy nationwide. This initiative aims to create proof of concept for promoting member-owned, managed, and controlled Self-Help Group (SHG) federations that are financially sustainable. The ultimate goal is to develop social capital and replicate the strategy in additional blocks across the country.
As part of this mission, the government envisions establishing at least one Community Managed Training Centre (CMTC) per district. These centers, operated by Model CLFs, will focus on capacity-building activities for all the CLFs within each district.
In a significant step towards this vision, a national-level event was organized in Bheronda, Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, on October 8, 2024. During the event, 100 Community Managed Training Centres, set up across India, were inaugurated online by the Hon’ble Minister of Rural Development, Mr. Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands’ First CMTC Inaugurated:
In line with this national initiative, the Directorate of Rural Development (RD), Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in collaboration with the Department of Labour, has established the region’s first Community Managed Training Centre. The CMTC, located in the Labour Welfare Center at C.D. Block Ferrargunj, will be operated by the Anmol Model CLF formed under the DAY-NRLM scheme.
The official state-level inauguration took place at the Labour Welfare Center in Ferrargunj, with Ms. Nandini Paliwal, IAS, Commissioner-cum-Secretary (RD), presiding over the event. Other key dignitaries present included Mr. Arjun Sharma, IAS, Secretary (RD) and Deputy Commissioner of South Andaman, Mr. Anil Agarwal, Secretary (Labour), Mr. Vinayak Chamadia, IAS, Sub-Divisional Magistrate of South Andaman, and Mr. Shiv Singh Meena, Director (RD). Local leaders, such as the Ferrargunj Panchayat Samiti Pramukh, Pradhans from Ferrargunj and Brindaban Gram Panchayats, and other PRI members, were also in attendance, alongside SHG members under the DAY-NRLM.
CMTC’s Role in Empowering Communities:
The newly established CMTC will serve as a hub for training and skilling activities, primarily benefiting SHG members and other stakeholders. The center will offer knowledge transfer, leadership training, program management workshops, and skill development in various sectors. It will also demonstrate sustainable livelihood models, such as Agri Nutri-Gardens, Vermi Composting, NADEP (a composting method), and animal-rearing projects, including goat, dairy, and poultry farming.
Furthermore, the center will support enterprise-related activities like bakery production, bookbinding, leaf plate manufacturing, and computer training. This wide array of training programs is designed to strengthen the capacities of Self-Help Groups, Village Organizations (VOs), Producer Groups (PGs), and Producer Enterprises (PEs), along with Cadres, Community Resource Persons (CRPs), and other stakeholders in the region.
Future Plans for Expansion:
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands Rural Livelihood Mission has plans to establish two additional CMTCs in the North and Middle Andaman District, as well as in the Nicobar District. These centers will mirror the operations of the Ferrargunj CMTC and continue to empower local communities through capacity building and livelihood promotion.