Livelihoods is the staple theme in the spread of social development programmes supported by the Tata Trusts in the Northeast.

In Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, the livelihoods thrust takes in a range of income-generation efforts, in agriculture and horticulture, animal husbandry and tourism. Implemented by the North East Initiative Development Agency (NEIDA), an associate entity of the Trusts, these efforts are frequently executed in partnership with the respective state governments and they are targeted at the disadvantaged and the underserved.

In Nagaland, 14,000-plus households from 90 villages in the Kiphire, Phek and Tuensang districts are covered through different livelihood projects. In Mizoram, there are 13,000-plus households from four districts in the fold and in Arunachal Pradesh the number is 6,000-plus from three districts.

NEIDA provides the backing and handholding with every programme, and this includes financial aid, production and productivity-enhancement services and market linkages.