Under the NITI State Workshop Series, NITI Aayog, in collaboration with the Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS), Department of Rural Development, Government of Jharkhand, organised a workshop on “Strengthening Tribal and Rural Livelihoods through Sustainable Enterprise Development” in Ranchi, Jharkhand.

 In his keynote address, Prof. Ramesh Chand, Member, NITI Aayog, emphasised that inclusive development demands planned urbanisation and a shift from job seeking to job creation, stressing the importance of enterprise-led growth and empowering rural and tribal communities as job creators.

Shri Ananya Mittal, CEO, JSLPS, highlighted the importance of the workshop in strengthening women-led livelihood and enterprise initiatives, particularly in the tribal and rural regions of Jharkhand.

Emphasising the objectives of the workshop, Shri Surendra Mehra, Programme Director (RD & PR), NITI Aayog, stated that the objective is to identify challenges and adaptable models from other States that can be implemented in Jharkhand through convergence and cross-learning. He underscored the need for inter-departmental and inter-scheme convergence to create sustainable pathways for tribal enterprises and highlighted the need for further improvements in education, skill development, and quality of livelihoods.

Speaking on enabling women entrepreneurs, Shri K. Srinivasan, Secretary, Department of Rural Development, Government of Jharkhand, emphasised enabling land use, access to finance, and stronger market linkages, while highlighting the potential of Non-Timber Forest Produce-based livelihoods and key State initiatives such as Brand Palash and Adiva.

The dignitaries also visited the exhibition area, where 22 stalls showcased community-led innovations, skill-based enterprises, and market-linked livelihood models rooted in local resources and traditional knowledge.

The post-lunch session comprised two panel discussions focusing on emerging enterprise opportunities in rural and tribal Jharkhand and on co-creating a convergent ecosystem involving government, academia, industry, and civil society for strengthening rural and tribal livelihoods through sustainable enterprises.

In the concluding session, Shri Amit Bhardwaj, Deputy Advisor, NITI Aayog, outlined the way forward, emphasising policy convergence, institutional strengthening, and scalable enterprise models to enhance rural and tribal livelihoods in Jharkhand, reiterating the Government of India’s commitment to supporting State-led initiatives.