Why in news?
Women from the Ollo tribe in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tirap district received sewing machines from the Assam Rifles on 26 October 2025. The machines were distributed under Operation Sadbhavana, a community outreach programme aiming to encourage livelihood skills and reduce dependence on insurgent activities.
Background
The Ollo, also known as Oloh or Lazu Naga, are a small indigenous tribe inhabiting the Laju Circle of Tirap district in Arunachal Pradesh and adjoining areas of Myanmar. Despite living across an international border, they speak the same dialect and share customs and religious practices. Traditionally, society is organised through clan‑based hereditary chieftains and is strongly patriarchal, with property and leadership passing through the male line.
Cultural features
- Population and lifestyle: According to the 2011 Census the Ollo population in India is just over 1,500 people. Many live in stilt‑built houses made from timber and bamboo. In the past the tribe practised head‑hunting and facial tattooing, though these customs have largely faded.
- Economic activities: The community relies on subsistence agriculture, gathering forest produce and limited livestock rearing. Remote geography and lack of infrastructure have left the tribe economically marginalised.
- Challenges: The region has witnessed insurgency and limited state presence. Low literacy rates, poor healthcare and few income‑generating opportunities have made young people vulnerable to joining underground groups.
About the skill programme
- The Khonsa Battalion of the Assam Rifles launched a skill‑based initiative under Operation Sadbhavana to empower women. Sewing machines and tailoring training were provided to encourage entrepreneurship and self‑employment.
- The initiative aims to improve household income, reduce economic dependence on insurgent networks and integrate the tribe into the mainstream.
- Such programmes often include follow‑up training, marketing assistance and linkages with government schemes so that beneficiaries can expand their businesses.
Significance
- Empowering women with skills not only improves their personal income but also contributes to greater gender equality in a patriarchal society.
- Strengthening livelihoods in remote border districts helps reduce the influence of insurgent groups and enhances social stability.
- By preserving cultural identity while promoting development, the programme demonstrates that modernity and tradition can coexist.
Conclusion
The Assam Rifles’ sewing machine distribution is a small but meaningful step toward economic self‑reliance for the Ollo community. Continued engagement through education, healthcare and market access will be essential to ensure that the tribe’s youth have constructive alternatives to militancy and migration.
Source: India Today NE, Sentinel Assam