Rural Development Ministry Signs MoUs with NIRD&PR to Strengthen DAY-NRLM in Four States
The agreements, signed on September 19 in New Delhi, aim to deepen technical assistance and scale up best practices in rural livelihoods.
New Delhi, September 22: The Ministry of Rural Development has signed five memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD&PR), Hyderabad, and four State Rural Livelihoods Missions (SRLMs) from Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Telangana to enhance interventions under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
The agreements, signed on September 19 in New Delhi, aim to deepen technical assistance and scale up best practices in rural livelihoods. The four states were chosen for their pioneering work in digitisation, with Bihar also leading in Food, Nutrition, Health, and WASH (FNHW) initiatives.
The MoUs were formalised by T.K. Anil Kumar, Additional Secretary (Rural Livelihoods), Ministry of Rural Development, alongside senior representatives including Dr. Vanishree Joseph, Director, NRLM Resource Cell, NIRD≺ Ananya Mittal, CEO, JSLPS (Jharkhand); representatives of Karuna Vakati, State Mission Director, Andhra Pradesh SRLM; Himanshu Sharma, CEO, Bihar Jeevika; and D. Divya, CEO, Telangana SERP.
Under the partnership, NIRD&PR will focus on capacity building for SRLM functionaries and community cadres, developing a multi-thematic pool of resource persons, and conducting leadership and induction training. The institute will also document best practices and extend strategic support to strengthen community institutions, create livelihood opportunities, and promote digital innovations while ensuring social inclusion.
The ministry highlighted the role of National Resource Organizations (NROs) in providing critical technical support for LokOS, a digital platform designed to improve governance and streamline operations of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and their federations. By leveraging LokOS, officials said, the mission will further enhance accountability, transparency, and financial integration—helping build self-reliant rural communities.
The collaboration reinforces NIRD&PR’s role as a national hub for knowledge, training, and innovation in rural development, aligning with DAY-NRLM’s broader goal of empowering rural women and strengthening livelihoods through technology-driven inclusion.
