HT Correspondent
NAGAON, March 6: The Assam regional office of NABARD through DDM NABARD, Hojai in association with local NGO Hojai Unnayan Manch, organized a 15 day long skill development training programme on pearl culture and agarbati making activity among 60 selected SHG members from Kandulimari and Radhanagar villages under Jugijan Development Block in Hojai district.
The programme was conducted under the Livelihood and Enterprise Development Programme (LEDP).
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Following the successful completion of the training programme, a valediction as well as certificates distribution programme was organized at the Dakshin Jugijan High School near Rajbari in Hojai district on March 4.
Hojai district commissioner Lasit Kr Das, DDM, NABARD Rajendra Perna, district agriculture officer Ranjith Mishra Bhagawati, superintendent of DoH&T Rabul Saikia, secretary of the Hojai Unnayan Manch Sujay Dutta and bankers from various local banks participated in the programme
During the programme, district commissioner Lasit Kr Das officially launched ‘NABAHUM’ a new local brand of agarbati, especially manufactured by the trainees of LEDP.
While addressing the occasion, DC Das asserted that both the pearl culture and agarbati making are good remunerative activities, which can easily be practiced while taking care of the other responsibilities at home. He appreciated the efforts of NABARD in organising training programme on skills for farmers, rural artisans and women in collaboration with NGOs like Hojai Unnayan Manch.
Rajendra Perna, DDM, NABARD also spoke on the occasion and shared his views on various steps being initiated for up liftment of rural artisans and farmers by NABARD, Assam. He asserted that the LEDP on pearl culture and agarbati making activity not only covered the intensive skill trainings, it also covered need based refresher training, backward – forward linkages, handholding and escort supports. Besides, the practical sessions, the participants were trained on life cycle of mussels, production of pearls within mussels, different varieties of pearls, maintenance of pH level, mussel surgery, feeding and harvesting process, agarbati making by using locally available bamboo sticks, flowers/ fragrances like rose, mogra, jasmine etc, he added.
Perna also expressed his sincere gratitude to SBI, Hojai for extending financial supports to 36 trainees for starting startups of their own.
