Interface Meeting of Self-Help Groups

The first Interface meeting of Self Help Groups (SHGs) formed and nurtured by the Soil & Water Conservation Department was held on 15th June, 2005 at Don Bosco Youth Centre, Shillong.

The Interface meeting was attended by as many as 400 people comprising of representatives of 82 SHGs from East Khasi Hills district. These SHGs were formed in the project areas of WDPSCA and IWDP implemented by the Department particularly through the Shillong Soil Conservation (Territorial) Division. Shri D.P. Wahlang, Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills inaugurated the Interface meeting as Chief Guest and also released the Report of the achievements of the SHGs. In his speech, Shri Wahlang dwelled on the importance of co-operation and exhorted the SHG members to work together as a team towards achieving their common goals. Later, Dr. A.K. Nongkynrih of North Eastern Hill University chaired the meeting in which some selected groups

presented their reports on their performance and status. Others who were present at the Interface meeting include the officials of the department as well as bank officials and the Project Director of the District Rural Development Agency, East Khasi Hills. Some members of SHGs from Umrynjah presented the welcome song and a cultural item was also presented.

This Interface meeting provides a common forum for the members of SHGs hailing from different villages to interact, exchange views and share their problems and experiences in the presence of a panel of experts. The aim of this is to help improve their business approach and to solve the problems for building up strong viable institutions at the local levels.

It may be reminded that the formation of SHGs is an important aspect of implementation of the watershed development projects of the Department where the concept of participatory mode was adopted and taken up. This calls for building a strong farmer institution at the grassroots level to ensure participation and through it sustainability of the development efforts of the Department vis-a-vis the implementation of the watershed schemes.

KEEPING PACE WITH NEW CALLS

The dynamics of conservation and developmental efforts with which the Soil and Water Conservation Department of the State is involved call for adaptations. While keeping in mind the proven concepts and practices of conservation which is basically to preserve the fertility and water holding capacity of the soil in situ, we cannot close our eyes to the changing needs of the time.

Accordingly, the Department which keep tracks of some new concepts of development has exercised a certain degree of flexibility of which could clearly be seen in the incorporation of new strategies of implementation of the schemes and projects of the Department. To name a few, these relatively new concepts are people’s participation, local empowerment, incorporation of entry point activities in projects, Self-Help Groups and even exploration of new kind of crops such as Jatropha curcas, the latest find in the world of resources.

I hope that this openmindedness of the Department will pave the way for efficient implementation of projects. I also hope that the path that the Department is currently undertaking will serve to achieve the goals for which the Department aims at.

Therefore, this Newsletter is an important medium not only for providing information or reporting events in the Department but also by which the important concepts of interaction, diffusion of new ideas and feedback from a cross section of interested personnel and individuals could be realized and made use of.

Read on, and respond to the call to make our land healthier and our lives more enriching.