The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh spoke here today about an exclusive "Rural Livelihood" scheme for the Northeast. The unique scheme under the title “North East Rural Livelihood Project” is being supported by the World Bank and will primarily benefit the tribals and the lower socioeconomic groups, including women, in the North-Eastern Region (NER). To begin with, four states, - Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura, will be taken up for helping the tribal and even the non-tribal lower groups living in remote areas. The project is aimed at assisting over 10,000 Self Help Groups (SHGs) and benefit about three lakh poor households. Besides, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the North-Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC) Ltd, a PSU under the Ministry of Development of North-Eastern Region, is also assisting the farmers and agriculturists to obtain remunerative price for their produce. Dr Jitendra Singh said, while the development and empowerment of the NER is high on the priority of the Government led by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the special focus is on Women, particularly tribal women, woman-headed households and single woman households. The more vulnerable tribal groups like Reang in Tripura and Lepsha and Bhutias in Sikkim are also going to benefit from it, he said. Meanwhile, a delegation of the "Forum of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Legislators and Parliamentarians" led by its National President, Shri Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal today met Dr Jitendra Singh and presented a memorandum focusing on the issues of empowerment of tribal communities in Northeast.