SIDBI’s Vision for Sundarbans: A Transformative Visit

Bikash Paswan, the Assistant Manager representing the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), visited Mukti Gram and explored the dragon fruit plantations in Nagendrapur. The visit spanned the 29th to the 31st of October 2023. His primary mission was to assess the progress of the “Swabalamban Accelerator in Sundarban” (SWAS) project.

On the morning of October 30th, Mr. Paswan witnessed the thriving mangrove, vetiver, and dragon fruit plantation sites. During these visits, he engaged in conversations with the members of the Mukti Community Development Fund (MCDF) who were nurturing these green treasures. In the afternoon, he convened a meeting with a gathering of 40-45 Self-Help Group (SHG) members who played pivotal roles in the project’s development. This session was a dynamic exchange of ideas and strategies aimed at furthering the project’s goals. Next, Mr. Paswan engaged with the passionate entrepreneurs behind two remarkable SWAS enterprises, one specializing in handcrafts made from sola and the other in food processing. They delved into discussions about their business prospects, market demands, and their exciting future plans for enterprise development. To conclude his eventful day, he paid a visit to the Common Facility Center in Kankandighi, witnessing a hub of innovation and community collaboration.

On the 31st of October, Mr. Paswan participated in a meeting with Sankar Halder (Founder-President of Mukti), Ankita Kothiyal (Senior Manager of Partnership Development and communication), Ujjwal Maity (coordinator of the SIDBI projects), and Anindya Dasgupta (Mukti board member). This meeting was a forum to discuss the inception of new projects and the formulation of strategic plans. Mr. Paswan’s visit underscored the collaborative spirit and vision of sustainable development and positive change shared by SIDBI and Mukti.

Gallery link: https://muktiweb.org/gallery/album/sidbi-s-transformative-visit-in-sundarbans