Entrepreneurship conclave

Organized by Meghalaya Institute of Entrepreneurship (MIE) Shillong & Tura and South West Garo Hills Basin Development Unit under the aegis of IBDLP, the conclave saw the participation of hundreds of potential entrepreneurs from across the five districts of Garo Hills. During the conclave, successful entrepreneurs from  across the state like Godfrey Arengh, Proprietor of Arengh Tea, Tura,  Vijay Byrsat, MD, Centre of Learning & Knowledge Services, D. Majaw of Smokyfalls Tribe Coffee, bakery proprietor Kerbhalin Diengdoh, Shabnam Mohan Raj of VASU (Weaving & Apparel making) and fish farmer Haradhan Mahanta shared their remarkable stories of success to motivate the upcoming entrepreneurs.

The Chief Minister spelt out a number of business opportunities available under various sectors like Industries, sericulture & weaving, Agriculture and Horticulture, Dairy Farming, Fisheries, etc. He, however, stressed the need to create opportunities for livelihood for the young potentials entrepreneurs and give them the required handholding support so that there will no reason for them to get frustrated and become victims of vested interests.

He also expressed his view that group enterprises invariably end up unsuccessful without a sense of direction and ownership and as such he underlined the need to build up individual entrepreneurship. He informed the gathering that the government is setting up Rural Entrepreneurship and Incubation Centres across the State, adding that entrepreneurs should be encouraged to avail the facilities in these centres as most of the first generation entrepreneurs did not have the means to muster the required infrastructure for starting their business.

The Chief Minister also urged the department concerned to lay focus on spice production as we have varieties of spices available in the region which can be cultivated along with other cash-crops and establish small-scale spice processing units to help the farmers. He also enlightened the gathering about the huge market that potato farming can have as there is a huge gap in the demand and supply of potatoes and urged the department concerned to identify fallow lands across the state for potato cultivation.  Dr. Sangma said huge amount of money is spent by companies on brand-building of their products. “However the state government believes in creating stories to brand build our products”, he said and allayed the fears of marketing problems saying marketing is no longer a problem as there is already a digital platform available for us.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister also handed over the handlooms for creating water hyacinth handicrafts to the partners under MBDA who have been trained by NEDFi in Guwahati and also bee keeping equipments to the partners under Apiculture Mission.

Deputy Commissioner & Chairman BDU, Ampati, CVD Diengdoh and Director, MBDA/MBMA Western Zone, Daniel J. Ingty also addressed the participants during the inaugural session.

During the Open House session, OSDs, MIE, Shillong H.P.Paul and Dr. B. Lyngdoh, Abhijit Sharma of School of Livelihood & Rural Development, GM, DCIC Ampati, D.F.R Marak, entrepreneur Biswambhor Moirangthem, and Secretary of SHG Cluster Centre, Mendal Dr. Gabriel Sangma facilitated the discussions on “Business & Enterprise Opportunities in Meghalaya” and also responded to the queries by partipating entrepreneurs.