Introduction Ukhrul district is a hill district covering an area of 4544 sq km in the eastern part of Manipur state bordering Myanmar. The district is dominantly inhabited by the Tangkhuls followed by the Kukis. Agriculture is the primary source of livelihood of the people in the district. Ukhrul, the district headquarter is 84 km from Imphal, the state capital of Manipur. The district is famous for its richness in wildlife resources; Shirui lily (Lilium Macklineae), the flower of the State, Uningthou, the wood of the state, nongyeen, the bird of the state are all found in Ukhrul District. Ango range where most of the endangered species of animals and plants of the state are found is along the border of Ukhrul district. Ukhrul district is a major supplier of potato, beans, cabbage, parkia, peas, beans and other agri-produces to Imphal market and other places like Dimapur. Besides agriculture produces, of late banana, orange and lemon have started penetrating Imphal market. Ukhrul is connected to Imphal in the south east and Nagaland in the north by National Highway 202. Road connectivity between the District Headquarters and villages still remain very poor although it is gradually improving. The district remains economically backward on account of many factors. Use of traditional methods in agricultural practices leading to low productivity, lack of power supply, absence of industries and lack of good governance are some of the reasons upholding the cycle of poverty. The literacy rate of the district has relatively improved to be at 81.87 % (2011). The population growth rate of the district stands at 30.07% which is high enough to neutralize the production in the district. Project Rationale Various governmental schemes and projects under the government of Manipur have been implemented without achieving the desired results. Hence, the rural poor always find themselves in the same cycle of poverty and find no means to come out of it. When designing and implementing developmental programme, the government has not taken unique ground realities of each district into account. As a result, stagnation in the rural economy persists and low productivity from cultivation continues on a wide scale. The shortening of jhum cycle (down to 3-4 years for many communities) with its impact on declining fertility has resulted in continued encroachment on the forest resources and progressive land degradation. Most families still recognize jhum cultivation as a sustainable livelihood system, but they lack knowledge in systematic improvement of jhumming system, alternative developments and the means to adopt them. In the midst of problems faced in various fields and lackadaisical attitude of the government, the people have been struggling to embark on the road to development. Fortunately, Ukhrul district came into the fold of North Eastern Community Resource Management Project (NERCORMP) for upland areas in the year 1999-2000. 1 NERCORMP is a joint project of North Eastern Council, Ministry of DoNER, Government of India and International Fund for Agricultural Development. In the same year Ukhrul District Community Resource Management Society (UDCRMS) was established as an implementing agency of the NERCORMP project. One very interesting situation is that in the whole of Ukhrul district, there was only one bank branch till 3 years earlier. UBI was the sole service provider for many years and then very recently SBI has been installed at Somsai (inside the army cantonment). Through the project intervention, Ukhrul District Women Institute of Micro-Credit (UDWIM) has been created to cater to meet the needs of the marginalized and rural poor, especially womenfolk in the district. Ukhrul District Community Resource Management Society (UDCRMS) was first established in 1997 as a legal entity and an implementing agency of the North Eastern Community Resource Management Project (NERCORMP) for upland areas. The actual functioning of UDCRMS was realized only when the Development Support Team (DST) was put into place in the early part of the year 1999. The overall objective is “to improve the livelihood of vulnerable groups in a sustainable manner through improved management of their resource base in a way that contributes to protecting and restoring the environment”. OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT The foremost objective of the Project is to create and strengthen Village based Institutions, which will be self-sustaining and capable of meeting their own requirements, through active participation of the Villagers. Through these Institutions we hope to achieve ecological balance and improve the livelihood of the People and at the same time, achieving food and cash security by diversifying the economic activities of the People. The specific objectives are: - To promote a more sensitive approach to the design and implementation of development interventions. To enhance the capabilities of local people to manage new technologies and institutions at the Village level. To increase incomes through the development of more sustainable farming system and establishment of non-farm enterprises. 2 To make people more aware of the need to preserve and regenerate natural resources particularly forests and biodiversity. To establish effective and appropriate delivery systems for inputs (credit, extension, etc.) and for the maintenance of assets and resources. To increase the participation of women in local institutions and in decision- making processes within the community. To enhance savings capacity and establish the habit of thrift. To increase access to basic services and infrastructure facilities. Project Area Under the first phase of NERCORMP in Ukhrul district, 5826 target households from a total of 7768 households in 103 villages were covered. 146 NaRMGs with 689 Self Help Group were formed in the I Phase on NERCORMP Project. During the second phase, 69 villages have been taken under the project with a total target household of 3833 out of the total household of 7217. During the same period, 263 SHGs have been formed, nurtured and is currently supported. IMPORTANT STATISTICS The NERCORMP-II project is operating in 69 villages of Ukhrul district. 46 villages were inducted during mid 2010 while the rest of the villages have been included in 2011. Sl Total No. of Target No of No Name of Village NaRMG NaRMG HH Household SHGs 1 S. Laho Reisang 115 45 6 2 Chepu Yaolen Chepu 57 37 4 3 Moulsohoi Machaolna 34 26 1 4 Riha Maho 160 90 4 5 Thoyee Ringrum 224 91 7 6 Ramrei Dharrin 82 38 3 7 Ramrei Aze Ngakuimi 68 41 3 8 L. Chingphei Chingphei 50 39 3 9 Sharkaphung Shoka 115 45 6 10 Nongdam (T) Phrahmai 150 73 8 11 Louphong Zitingram 42 32 2 12 Shongphel Lengchonghoilom 77 40 2 13 Khomunnom Chullou 76 20 0 14 Honkhuiphung Tamaseh 78 28 2 3 15 Nongdam (K) Zouzam 35 34 2 16 Litan Sareikhong Sareikhong 113 47 6 17 Mongkot Chepu Mongkotchepu 135 62 5 18 Shangching Ngachonmi 75 60 4 19 Sorathen Lokso 18 14 1 20 Lungshang Lungshang 53 24 3 21 Shangshak PH Phungreiso 189 70 7 22 Nungshong Kn Ringrum 28 16 2 23 Nungshong Kl Nungshong 74 52 4 24 Phalang Chuingarin 61 42 3 25 Punge Ngachamtham 25 17 1 26 Sorde Mo-Ti 48 29 2 27 Maku Mirinsem 77 42 3 28 Mailiang Semki 61 32 2 d Lungshang CT Ngarumsak 27 20 2 30 Khambi Makom 68 31 2 31 Leishi Mayeemah 36 29 1 32 Chungka Dungpu 42 27 2 33 Shakok Unchuma 38 28 2 34 Koso Rakemi 33 23 1 35 Sorbung Semyei 66 45 4 36 Kharasom CV Mahomi 276 165 6 37 New Kharasom Ngazip 27 20 2 38 Kharasom Lazo Ngachaimi 94 47 3 39 Chingjaroi Kl Zapuivar 392 181 5 40 Marem Kl Panphung 108 50 4 41 Chingjaroi Ng Sasang 108 68 4 42 Chingjaroi CV Sewkhadew 230 161 8 43 Razai Kn Pangkhe 81 46 3 44 Langdang Hotnangai 133 74 5 45 Shirui Shirui 177 79 4 46 Khangkhui Kl Mangsor 98 63 4 47 Khangkhui Kn Harvakhangai 97 28 3 48 Lunghar Phangrei 259 90 7 49 Punoumram SIDIM 22 20 1 50 Shangphunram Reisang 21 21 1 51 Lairam Phungka Mathuk 63 60 3 52 Chingshao Masot 11 11 1 53 Bohoram Mayo 22 22 1 54 Itham Nungha 22 20 1 55 Nambashi Valley Louthengyoul 17 15 1 56 Chongdan Chongdhari 43 35 3 57 Kasom Kn Shangrum 28 27 1 4 58 Ashang Kl Tasang 28 26 1 59 Kangoi Angailum 26 24 2 60 Lungtoram Hormi 25 21 1 61 Lairam Kl TAMA 78 66 3 62 Sirarakhong Soshim 212 100 8 63 Ramva Ramva 201 122 14 64 Sinakeithei Sinakeithei 262 100 6 65 Phalee Phalee 352 192 13 66 Somdal Mashun 208 115 6 67 Pharung Reisangrum 129 55 3 68 Talui Talui 434 208 15 69 Kachai Kachui 303 112 10 TOTAL 7217 3833 263 Total target household =3833 Total number of SHGs= 263 Total number of NaRMG Households=7217 Note on the institutions: Natural Resource Management Groups (NaRMGs) are the village/community developmental planning and implementing bodies formed in the project villagesin order to supplement and strengthen the existing traditional village institutions. The uniqueness of this newly created institution is the very composition of its members where both husband and wife of each household form the primary members and the rest are known as associate members. Cluster Association: As a secondary level of institutional sustainability the project has also formed seven NaRMG Association based on geographical location and agro climatic suitability. The objectives of these institutions are ‘to manage the natural resources in a sustainable manner through cluster approach and to ensure collective marketing for the various agro Horti and NTFPs etc’. The association has formulated their own plan of action on various developmental issues like health road and connectivity etc.