Summit ideal for startups by State entrepreneurs: Amitabh Kant

A Correspondent

SHILLONG: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma inaugurated the Meghalaya Entrepreneurship & Startup Summit 2020 at the State Convention Centre here on Tuesday which was also attended by NITI Ayog CEO Amitabh Kant as the guest of honour. Kant said that India is going through the biggest socio-economic transition with a high population of youth as compared to other nations. Therefore it is a rare opportunity for disruptions, innovations and drive startups and have young people to find solutions to the many challenges the country is facing.

“Some innovations across the world are not relevant to India and we need to find solutions to our own problems and our challenges are to provide the right technology to farmers, reuse water, and convert waste into energy providing huge opportunities across sectors and therefore we are seeing a unique ecosystem developing in India,” he said.

He added that Meghalaya is unique and a great value proposition of going back to the roots and creating a product would work well for the State.

He also informed that NITI Ayog would like to work with partnership with the government of Meghalaya to set up Tinkering Labs in schools across the State, to make Meghalaya as the centre of organic farming, and a centre for value-added tourism.

He also said that NITI Ayog would support Meghalaya with ten more incubation centres and organize a summit to have an interaction with the entrepreneurs of the State with some of the best startups of India.

Delivering the inaugural address, the Chief Minister said that the country and the world as a whole is moving forward in entrepreneurship.

Recalling his own experience and struggle as a young entrepreneur after completing his studies, he said that the entrepreneurship programmes of the government is to ensure that the overall entrepreneurship ecosystem of the State is improved for all young bright entrepreneurs who do not have the wherewithal but possess great ideas and innovations.

“The government has started many programmes to push entrepreneurship in the State by recognizing and motivating them and by creating strategies to ensure the different levels of entrepreneurs like innovators, nano entrepreneurs and livelihood entrepreneurs are identified and guided as they move forward in a life of entrepreneurship,” he said.

Conrad also informed that competitions and challenges bring out the best in people and motivate them. Therefore, programmes like the Chief Minister’s e-challenge bring out the excitement and enthusiasm in the young entrepreneurs.

The Chief Minister also said that there are many other areas in the Northeast and Meghalaya besides agriculture and tourism, that can be worked on and music being one of those sectors.

“Meghalaya and the Northeast have a great talent in music and music incubators centres can create value out of music, likewise fashion is another area,” he said.

He further said that the government through its different entrepreneurship programmes would provide the platforms for the entrepreneurs to create opportunities and link them to different stakeholders.

He urged the young entrepreneurs not to give up in the face of challenges that they will come across in their entrepreneurship journey and to move forward with passion in whatever they do.

The Chief Minister also announced that from the next financial year, there will also be a monthly award for musicians and sportspersons.

Earlier, the Chief Minister and other dignitaries released documents for Enterprise Strategy for Meghalaya.

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