TURA: Young entrepreneurs in the rural areas are being encouraged to take up agro-based ventures to boost their income and the economy of the region, this was a suggestion put forth during a day-long programme for rural youth entrepreneurs at the Mason Phillips Conference hall at Tura Baptist Church on Wednesday morning in which Meghalaya Commissioner and Secretary for Community and rural Development P Sampath Kumar was the chief guest.
The programme was organised by the Socio-Economic Welfare Society of the A’chik Baptist Dalgipa Krima (ABDK).
Addressing the gathering, Kumar underlined the importance of boosting the rural economy of the country. He said that the young entrepreneurs have the potential to excel given the opportunity and suggested counselling and mentoring.
Highlighting the demographic stagnation in employment generation in the manufacturing and services sector in the last three years, Kumar was optimistic that despite the grave scenario there was still immense opportunities for agro-based entrepreneurships and encouraged the rural youth to form part of the development narrative.
The commissioner and secretary pointed out that till date the potential of the agri-based sector is yet to be tapped and announced that this year alone, the state government will invest in the livestock mission targeting fifty thousand youth as stake holders to take up piggery under the livestock mission.
He informed that in the north east region, there is a 2 lakh metric tons deficit in pork and the livestock mission can meet the deficit.
Kumar called upon the civil society groups, the church and the NGOs to join hands in counselling and mentoring the youth to take up the challenges of entrepreneurship.
Rev. Janang Sangma General Secretary of ABDK highlighted five objectives of the workshop which include creation of livelihoods, learning and earning, discouraging forced migration, realising the full potential of the youth and inculcating team learning.