Arunachal and Bihar Partner to Improve Rural Health and Nutrition

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh and Bihar locked in a three-year deal on July 16 to overhaul rural health. The Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission and the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society signed the pact in Gaya, Bihar. They aim to sharpen Food, Nutrition, Health, and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) programs under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission.

Sangeeta Yirang of ArSRLM and Himanshu Sharma of BRLPS finalized the agreement. Swati Sharma, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development, attended the signing. This move officially positions BRLPS as the National Resource Organisation to guide the project. They will mentor local teams, host exposure visits, and provide constant support.

The goal involves training community cadres to reach Self-Help Groups, Panchayat Level Federations, and Micro Cluster Level Federations. Authorities believe this will change habits. Officials said the initiative will also encourage convergence with line departments to ensure effective implementation of community-led interventions and improve access to essential services.

This collaboration focuses on building stronger community institutions across rural Arunachal Pradesh. Leaders expect the work to improve food security and sanitation for households. They want to create healthier, more resilient communities.