SHILLONG: With a large number of young people graduating, the challenge of getting jobs worries them and as a solution to the growing unemployment, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma encouraged them to look towards entrepreneurship.
Speaking at the XXVth Convocation of NEHU on Wednesday, the chief minister said economy of a nation grows only through entrepreneurship as without initiatives from entrepreneurs the country will not be able to witness economic growth.
Stating that the abundant resources and opportunities in the North East have not been explored, Sangma said, “As we always say be job givers not job seekers. I think it is time that the young minds start taking that calculative risk, taking initiative of doing things that have been done and all over the world.”
“We are not asking you do to something that nobody has tried before. It is happening all over the world. You simply need to start with here in our region and therefore entrepreneurship is important,” Sangma added.
Pointing out that the government is keen to push for entrepreneurship, he said the government started a programme called Entrepreneur of the Month with an objective to reward young budding entrepreneurs and inspire others.
Giving a thrust towards building entrepreneurship in the state, the chief minister said the government has the Meghalaya Institute of Entrepreneurship.
“I think it is important that entrepreneurship should be given a lot of priority because that is the way I feel that things will start moving forward for Meghalaya and India,” Sangma said.
Research institutes collaboration
According to Sangma, the energy and power of a large number of young people in the country should be channelised in the construction of economic development of India. He pointed out that social organisations like educational institutions and research organisation play their role in building the economy status of the nation.
Stating that right policies and ideas emanate from research institutes, Sangma said, “Government needs to work closely with research institutes to come out with the right policy.” The chief minister also spoke of innovative ideas that flow from these research institutions which are then carried on to industries and the government gets back the money from the taxes levied on the industries.
“When the government gets back the money, they again invest back in research institute so that more ideas and innovations can come up and that is how economy will grow,” Sangma said. He said the state and the country is yet to reach to the level where developed nations follow this kind of a system. “From the government side, we are very keen to move forward and in fact we have been talking to many institutes to discuss on agriculture,” he said.
Sangma also informed that the State Government will collaborate not just in agriculture but in other areas of finance and will likely discuss with NEHU on increasing the revenue generation of the state.
Make in Meghalaya
Turning to the agricultural sector, Sangma said the State Government started the Lakadong Mission known as the best turmeric in the world.
“But sadly we have not been able to innovate and use the right technology to add value to this product so that our farmers can get better revenue and better price for their produces,” he said. To push for local products, Sangma said the government and institutions such as NEHU can tie up with self help groups or materials made by young entrepreneurs as an encouragement to them.
Discipline and timing
Observing some students entering the hall after the function had begun, Sangma said, “Discipline in life is important and discipline starts with timing.”
The chief minister is known to be punctual while attending programmes and has been seen apologizing to the organisers if he arrived late to a programme.
