PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Sept 25: Jharkhand Charcha 2025, co-hosted by The/Nudge Institute, Manipal Tata Medical College (MTMC) and Manipal Foundation, brought together over 250 policymakers, social entrepreneurs, development practitioners, academicians, and industry leaders in Ranchi on Tuesday.
The convening spotlighted systemic pathways for inclusive growth, resilient livelihoods, and climate adaptation for Jharkhand’s 33 million citizens, nearly a quarter of whom belong to tribal communities.
Setting the agenda, Dipika Pandey Singh, Minister for Rural Development, Rural Works and Panchayati Raj, underscored that Jharkhand’s development must be powered by partnerships extending beyond financial support to also include knowledge exchange and grassroots leadership.
Citing the transformative role of JSLPS Didis, she highlighted how women leaders are catalyzing poverty alleviation by linking communities with government welfare and livelihood initiatives.
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Former Rural Development Secretary Nagendra Nath Sinha, IAS (Retd.) stressed the importance of “cash plus care” models—combining grant support with handholding and skilling—while pointing to innovative Jharkhand programs such as UDAAN, Dakiya Yojana, and UPAJ as benchmarks in reaching PVTGs and marginalized households.
Echoing this, Charanjit Singh, IFS (Retd.), noted that livelihood models must be contextual, market-ready, and supported with strong branding and marketing linkages.
Discussions emphasized diversification of Jharkhand’s rural economy beyond agriculture, advocating integration of livestock, non-farm enterprises, and services, with women’s role in collective enterprises receiving particular attention.
Nitin Kulkarni, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary to the Governor, highlighted the shift from welfare to empowerment through schemes like the Mukhyamantri Mayya Samman Yojana (JMMSY), which currently benefits more than 50 lakh women.
He noted that pairing cash transfers with enterprise-building opportunities can foster resilience and agency.
On the technology front, Manish Ranjan, IAS, Director of SKIPA, emphasized that tech solutions for tribal livelihoods must be open-source, low-bandwidth, and accessible in local languages to ensure inclusivity.
The day concluded with Rajeev Singh Thakur, IAS, Advisor, NITI Aayog, presenting a policy note synthesizing the deliberations into a roadmap for embedding equity and resilience into Jharkhand’s development priorities.
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Harinarayan Sharma, CEO, Manipal Foundation, reflected on the synergy between economic inclusion, women’s health, gender equity, and climate resilience, affirming Manipal Foundation and MTMC’s commitment to advancing community well-being in Jharkhand.
From The/Nudge Institute, John Paul, Senior Director, Livelihoods Program, cautioned against treating vulnerability, gender, and climate as isolated issues, stressing that Jharkhand has the potential to set national benchmarks in building inclusive prosperity at scale.
As India marches toward Viksit Bharat@2047, Jharkhand Charcha 2025 reaffirmed that true progress lies not merely in economic expansion but in reimagining development itself—rooted in equity, powered by collaboration, and led by those historically left behind.
