Shillong, Aug 19: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Tuesday urged entrepreneurs in Meghalaya to persevere despite obstacles, stressing that most ventures fail not because of weak ideas but because people give up too soon.
“Many entrepreneurs fail not because their ideas are bad, but because they stop trying. If you believe in your idea, keep going. We will stand with you,” Sangma said while inaugurating RURALPRENEUR ’25, a two-day rural entrepreneurship conclave organised by PRIME Rural and the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA) at the State Central Library, Shillong.
He also appealed to schools, companies, and government departments to support local businesses by purchasing their products. “This year, even the Christmas hampers I send to the Prime Minister and other leaders will be filled with products made by our entrepreneurs, along with their stories,” he announced.
” We are creating a culture of entrepreneurship – a culture of taking calculated risks, of looking at problems and seeing opportunities, of not depending solely on government jobs. It is about building an ecosystem where those who want to start businesses can find the support they need,” he said.
The Chief Minister highlighted that Meghalaya has invested over ₹1,700 crores in entrepreneurship through programs such as PRIME Urban, PRIME Rural, PRIME Collectives, CM Elevate, and skilling initiatives. Support for self-help groups (SHGs), he said, has grown from ₹30 crores before 2018 to over ₹1,000 crores today, alongside investments in food processing units, PRIME hubs, and rural infrastructure.
Recalling his own struggles as a young entrepreneur in the 1990s, Sangma said his experiences shaped the policies he champions today. “Even a word of encouragement would have meant so much—but it wasn’t there. That is why we want today’s entrepreneurs to have the ecosystem and guidance I lacked,” he said.
Sangma also lauded the SELCO Foundation for powering rural health centres with solar energy. He noted that ₹18 crores mobilised through the MBMA–SELCO partnership included loans, a 25% subsidy from SELCO, MBMA grants, and contributions from entrepreneurs themselves.
Other speakers at the inaugural session included Dr. Harish Hande, CEO of SELCO Foundation; Sampath Kumar, Principal Secretary; Dr. Vijay Kumar D., CEO of MBMA; Saloni Verma, Executive Director of PRIME; and Minha Riyaz Khan, Project Lead of PRIME Rural.
Day One of the conclave saw the signing of MoUs, release of the PRIME Rural B-B Catalogue, distribution of cheques to MBMA–SELCO beneficiaries, recognition of PRIME Fellows and Associates, and cultural performances. Day Two will feature networking workshops, UDYAM onboarding, business registration and packaging sessions, and cultural showcases by entrepreneurs.
RURALPRENEUR ’25 is being held on August 19–20 to celebrate rural entrepreneurship and strengthen Meghalaya’s business ecosystem.
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