Shillong, 28 Oct : Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, today felicitated entrepreneurs at a program ‘Meghalaya Celebrating Entrepreneurs’, at State Convention Centre, Shillong. The program was also attended by Country Program Officer, IFAD, Meera Mishra.
Today we celebrate our entrepreneurs of our grassroots programs under M-LAMP, FOCUS & @meghtourism.
We are so glad that the funds through our programs have sparked their entrepreneurial spirit & have made significant impact in the lives & livelihoods of our people@dpradhanbjp pic.twitter.com/SGDnl7IR8S
— Conrad Sangma (@SangmaConrad) October 28, 2022
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma said that various programs in the State for the youth, women, farmers and entrepreneurs started with the vision of making Meghalaya among the top states in the country. “The vision of making Meghalaya among the top states in the country is a goal that has been driving us in everything that we are trying to do and we realize that in order to be able to achieve that until unless we see the incomes growing at the grassroots level we will not be able to achieve that goal,” he emphasized.
In these 4.5 years, the channel through institutional set ups like the IVCS Cooperative Societies, Producer Groups, Self Help Groups have ensured the benefits of our programs reach the people at the grassroot.
— Conrad Sangma (@SangmaConrad) October 28, 2022
He also added that to work with the farmers and entrepreneurs in rural areas there is a need for organizational structure to help the people. “The different Integrated Village Cooperative Societies, the producers’ groups are channels or institutionalize the system and to ensure that the benefits of the different programs trickle down to the grassroots level,” he said. He said that entrepreneurs are vital in the entire organizational structure at all levels to collect, aggregate and sell the products at a higher price of what an individual farmer can sell. “The government is just a facilitator but it is the people, the farmers, producers and entrepreneurs who have to run the system,” he informed.
The Chief Minister also stated that the service sector will generate a large means of livelihood for the next generation. “With a great potential in Tourism, this sector along with IT sector will be very crucial for our people,” he added.
The Chief Minister distributed cheques to Best Producer Groups, Best Integrated Village Cooperative Societies, Best Collecting Centers, Best Ginger Processing Units and also distributed sanctions to Meghalaya Ateliers Program under Meghalayan Age for handicrafts and Culinary Ateliers Program and also distributed sanction to different beneficiaries under the Homestay Scheme of the Tourism department.
