Atmanirbhar Bharat is a call that echoes the ‘hope’ and ‘needs’ of the generation and this is what was deliberated in the Prof P. J. Goswami memorial discussion on “Atmanirbhar Bharat” A Vibrant and  Strong India, Opportunities For The Generation Next, held on Thursday at Bipin Chandra Pal Auditorium of Assam University, Silchar.

Assam University Employees’ Thrift and Credit Cooperative Society Ltd. (AUET&CCS Ltd) which is celebrating its Silver Jubilee organised the discussion along with Swadeshi Jagaran Manch where 80 members of different SHG of the region participated.

Pinak Kanti Roy, Secretary AUET&CCS Ltd while welcoming all the dignitaries, and guests reiterated the society’s social commitment which led to this interactive programme as a part of the Silver Jubilee celebration.  

Prof. Rajive Mohan Pant, Vice Chancellor of Assam University and the Chairman, AUET&CCS Ltd. of the society presided over the discussion along with Registrar in-charge Jayanta Bhattacharjee and Finance Officer Subhodeep Dhar

Prof. Pant in his Presidential address cited various success stories from his past experience and echoed that things are possible in places like Barak Valley which is full of natural resources.

Vice Chancellor committed that Assam University will be the biggest consumer of local products and would be supporting the community. He strongly advocated that to make things happen one needs to be determined and the call given by Prime Minister Modi for Atmanirbhar Bharat is the need of the hour. He cited that in the last eight years India has produced 100 unicorns which itself is a significant indicator that by some change in mechanism one gets to reach its goals.

Prof. Pant advocated mindset change and believes that if today’s students are not entrepreneurial then they are not from the right academic background.

Jayanta Bhattacharjee who spoke on the occasion stressed supporting local products so that it does not get lost in big-time commercialisation. He believes that those leading products from the region need to be revived. He cited that people who were gifted products from this region still fondly remember and appreciate them.

Rabishankar Likmabam, District Development Manager, NABARD, Barak Valley Zone deliberated on various financial schemes and skill development initiatives being undertaken. He echoed, we work on the faith ‘development through credit’. He also stated that NABARD is not a financial bank but it is a ‘bank of knowledge.  

Salem Ahmed Barbhuiya, Development Co-ordinator, APART, DI&CC, Cachar, gave the overall activities of DIC and how it is helping SHGs through a consultative mode and now the DI&CC is having various resources to help entrepreneurs and SHGs get the requisite support system from the organization. He encouraged the members of the SHG to connect with his organization to seek any support they need.  

Biswadeep Gupta the Managing Trustee of KRC Foundation who was one of the speakers remembered Prof P. J. Goswami and congratulated the organisers for taking the small but important step by organising a meaningful memorial lecture. He also remembered Late M. K.  Dutta former Joint Registrar who was one of the founding members of AUET&CCS Ltd

Biswadeep saluted the women self help group members who attended the discussion and stated that they are the real success story as they are able to sustain themselves and maybe give some people work rather than asking for a job. He echoed that it is time to ‘innovate and not to imitate’.

He also requested the University to take forward the innovation cell of the University and that various departments can give consultative support to these SHGs. He also stressed the value of alumni activities.

For the students, his advice was to join some form of internship and get transformed into an entrepreneurial mindset. He encouraged the youths to generate employment and become ‘job givers rather than job seekers’.

He echoed ‘I am a journalist but I am also an optimist and I see lots of positive changes taking place in NE India.

Bijoya Dutta, Jibika Sakhi, Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission, Cachar also encouraged the members of SHG to come forward to discuss their problems and seek support.

Sagnik Choudhury, Director of the Society and President AUNTEA thanked Swadeshi Jagaran Manch for associating with this event and for their whole hearted cooperation.

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