Meghalaya plans to empower over 20,000 entrepreneurs in 3-4 yrs

Shillong: Chief minister Conrad K Sangma has said over 20,000 entrepreneurs across diverse sectors will be empowered in the next three to four years, iterating his govt’s resolve to promote entrepreneurship.He was speaking at the concluding session of the three-day PRIME MeghaPreneur Expo 2024 at the Polo Ground here on Saturday night.“Our goal is to empower over 20,000 entrepreneurs within three to four years, an unprecedented feat in our state’s history. Recognising our efforts, the Government of India has awarded us as a top-performing state in the national startup awards amongst small states,” he said.Highlighting the “substantial government” support, he announced contributions totalling approximately Rs 22.67 crore to bolster 71 entrepreneurs across various sectors. “As a government, we firmly believe that entrepreneurship serves as the cornerstone of the economy of a nation or state. Our strategy since the inception of Meghalaya Democratic Alliance-1 has been centered on fostering entrepreneurship as the main driver of the economy and creator of employment within our state. Our mission is to acknowledge and support as many entrepreneurs as possible, thus laying the foundation for a vibrant entrepreneurial culture,” he spelt out.“Through initiatives like CM ELEVATE, a most progressive entrepreneurship programme, we aim to provide substantial support, offering a 75% subsidy and comprehensive assistance to nurture business growth and logistical support and administrative support,” Conrad said. “With over 5,500 entrepreneurs currently under our support, we anticipate a significant increase in the coming years,” he added.

Centre launches 'Venture Capital Fund' to support tribal entrepreneurs, start-ups

The 'Venture Capital Fund for Scheduled Tribes' was launched by President Droupadi Murmu at the inauguration of the tribal festival, 'Aadi Mahotsav'. The festival showcases the tribal way of life through art, handicrafts, natural products, and cuisine, promoting the preservation of traditional knowledge.

New startup smartcards launched for entrepreneurs

Tamil Nadus startup ecosystem has grown exponentially since the DMK came to power, with the number of registered startups increasing from around 2,300 to more than 7,600 in the last two years. Over 50% of these startups are women-led. StartupTN has launched a slew of initiatives, including providing new startup smartcards and subsidised rates for early-stage startups.