Women SHGs to implement WB assisted TRIPTI in Orissa

Bhubaneswar, Jul 1 (UNI) As many as 36 blocks in nine coastal districts of Orissa will receive World Bank assistance to implement the Targetted Rural Infrastructure and Poverty Termination Initiative (TRIPTI) programme through Self Help Groups.

A high level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here yesterday decided to implement the programme through 18,000 women self help groups (SHG) to create infrastructure for accelerating economic growth in the rural areas.

The World Bank has approved a proposal to spend Rs 335 crores to implement the programme in Angul, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Khurda, Puri and Nayagarh.

It was decided that all panchayats of four select blocks in each of these nine districts would be covered under the programme. The concerned officers had been directed to prepare a detailed project report by September 2006.

The TRIPTI programme, official sources said, would be implemented during the next five years and the focus of the scheme would be to create community assets like taking up dairy farming, pisciculture, social forestry and horticulture.

The women SHGs would be provided financial assistance under the programme to undertake small business and provide marketing support so that the SHGs could generate sustainable income.

UNI DP KK DKS HT1830