Tripura to rope in IIM Calcutta to make 250 'crorepati didis': TRLM CEO

Agartala, Nov 12 (PTI) The Tripura Rural Livelihood Mission (TRLM) will take the help of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta, to make 250 individual enterprises and group enterprises 'crorepati didis', an official said on Wednesday.

Currently, over 4.68 lakh households (individuals) are engaged in 54,263 Self Help Groups (SHGs) and out of whom approximately 1,08,000 women have already become 'lakhpati didis'.

"A Rs 10.60 crore incubation plan will be implemented over a three-year period by TRLM with the help of IIM Calcutta to produce 'crorepati didis'. A presentation has already been given to the Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) on the project," Chief Executive Officer (CEO), TRLM, Tarit Kanti Chakma told PTI.

He said the TRLM had a plan to make 150 'crorepati didis', but the Centre has suggested making 250 crorepati didis with the state doing well in empowering rural women through SHGs.

Chakma said the TRLM would seek applications from interested women entrepreneurs to be part of the ambitious plan by giving advertisements in local newspapers for wide circulation.

"After collecting the applications, we will send them to IIM Calcutta, to select potential women in order to make them 'crorepati didis'. Of course, the women who are already engaged in SHGs with Rs 5 lakh annual turnover will get priority in the selection process. However, non-SHGs members will also get the chance to get the opportunity to become 'crorepati didis'," he said.

"There will be no dearth of aspiring women for the game changer initiative because the state has already produced over one lakh lakhpati didis. Some SHGs have been earning more than 40 lakh annually, revolutionising the rural economy," he said.

According to him, the TRLM will not only provide training for capacity building but also give a business development plan so that they can flourish their business in a big way.

For proper monitoring, special incubator cells at the district and block level will be put in place, he said, adding that credit linkage to banks and market linkage will also be offered to them.

Chakma added that TRLM will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIM Calcutta, as an incubator partner, and it has the expertise to implement such a strategic plan to change the rural face of the state.

Currently, the IIM Calcutta, is implementing such programmes in West Bengal, Assam and Bihar, where it has become successful, he said, adding that the Centre has chosen the state for the project due to its success in implementing various government schemes. PTI PS RG