By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 19: As the Skill India Mission enters its tenth year, Meghalaya figures among the states where its programmes have been implemented with moderate but steady reach.
While large-scale transformation remains a work in progress, several individuals in the state have managed to leverage central schemes to begin small enterprises, with support from the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
Through its collaboration with the state government and various institutions, IIE has implemented training and support activities in Meghalaya under national schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI), the Start-Up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) and the Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY).
These efforts focus on skill development, entrepreneurship training and linking beneficiaries to enterprise support systems. Several colleges, including NEHU, Tura Government College, Kiang Nangbah Government College and Ri-Bhoi College, have been roped in to host training and incubation facilities.
Among those supported, Roshni Kharshiing has developed a small-scale venture producing chemical-free local fruit soda under the brand Rush.
On the other hand, Reuel Kharbudnah runs a unit converting plastic waste into construction materials such as pavers and tiles.
Similatly, Ailashisha Khymdeit manufactures naturally dyed eri silk products under the brand name Dienjat.
These three were selected for incubation support after being shortlisted from a pool of 993 proposals across the Northeast, part of a selection of 145 regional start-ups identified by IIE.
Outside of the startup segment, other individuals have benefitted from micro-enterprise development programmes.
Pyntip Thabah, for example, underwent entrepreneurship development training, received access to Community Enterprise Funds and a credit-linked loan, and now operates a food processing unit under the brand RIMAN. Her venture was supported through the Meghalaya State Rural Livelihoods Society.
In another case, Macdonald Marwein completed the Assistant Hair Dresser & Stylist course under PMKVY 4.0 through the Directorate of Employment & Craftsmen Training and has set up a barber shop, Donald The Barber, in his locality.
State Coordinator Arti Lyngdoh noted that IIE’s role has been to facilitate the journey from business ideas to basic operational setups. While the broader vision of a self-sustaining entrepreneurship ecosystem remains aspirational, current efforts have concentrated on building early-stage support for a limited group of beneficiaries.
As the Skill India Mission marks its tenth anniversary, Meghalaya’s experience offers a mixed picture—pockets of progress at the individual level, but continued need for wider outreach, deeper market linkage, and scalable models across the state.