SHILLONG, Aug 9: The Promotion and Incubation of Market Driven Enterprise (PRIME), a programme launched in 2019 with the objective of supporting aspiring entrepreneurs, has become a game-changer among youths as many have tapped the opportunity to become influential entrepreneurs.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, on Monday, said that the government conceptualised PRIME to enable entrepreneurs to cope with different challenging situations in their entrepreneurial journey.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the 2020 edition of Chief Minister’s E-Championship challenge and on-boarding ceremony for the Cohort-2 batch of 2021, the chief minister said, “We realised that there was a very strong need to provide a proper environment to promote entrepreneurship in the state and facilitate entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs should not only produce products but should come up with complete solutions with right costing, which is the key to a successful business venture”.
During the programme, the PRIME annual booklet and PRIME ID funding was also launched.
The Cohort-2 2021 batch certificate of on-boarding and cheques of Rs 1 lakh were given to top 25 entrepreneurs and Rs 50,000 each to next 25 entrepreneurs.
One of the young entrepreneurs at the E-Championship Conclave was Shidalin Marbaniang, a resident of Nongkyna Mawshynrut Block, and a teacher who manufactures sanitary pads using the incubation centre at the Livelihood Business Incubator (LBI), Nongstoin, run by the Basin Development Unit, West Khasi Hills.
Shidalin said that she came up with the idea of the startup after understanding the reality that many girls remain absent from their classes during their menstruation.
She admitted that several women in rural Meghalaya do not use sanitary pads as they either are oblivious to the benefits of using them or because they are not accessible and affordable.
The young entrepreneur said she has priced the sanitary pads at Rs 6 and Rs 5 for students, adding that she is presently distributing them in some places.
She says that she will venture out into sanitary pads making in full swing after the effects of pandemic subside. Talking about her entrepreneurial journey, Shidalin recalled facing several financial problems to carry on her venture but was committed to sustain it at any cost.
Similarly, other entrepreneurs, who shared their experiences, also admitted that many challenges lie ahead for an entrepreneur during the initial days but maintained that one must not lose hope but continue to overcome the challenges.
Even the CM, who was sharing his experiences of being a budding entrepreneur during the 1990s venturing into the IT sector, said that the hardships he faced eventually inspired him to promote entrepreneurship in the state.
“It is important that we have a passion and a purpose in anything we do and pursue to achieve it,” he added.
Urging entrepreneurs to provide solutions at affordable rates, the CM also stressed on the need to environmentally conscious.
Referring to a UN report on climate change, the chief minister said that the earth will cross 1.5 degree in temperature in the next 10 years.
“It is scary. Can our entrepreneurs look at this challenge?” he said.
On the other hand, Dr Vijay Kumar D, who is a team member of PRIME, said that around 1,600 applicants have been registered, adding that best entrepreneurs will be chosen through institutional process.
“We are identifying nano entrepreneurs and our vision is to make Meghalaya a startup hub in next 3-4 years,” he added.
