By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 18: In a significant move aimed at expanding market opportunities for local enterprises, the Department of Commerce and Industries, Meghalaya, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Amazon on Saturday.
This is the first-ever collaboration between the state government and Amazon.
The signing of the MoU at the Directorate of Commerce and Industries was followed by a capacity-building workshop conducted by an Amazon team for more than 100 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) from across the state.
During the session, participants were introduced to Amazon’s Karigar and Saheli initiatives which focus on promoting traditional artisans, weavers and women-led enterprises on the e-commerce platform.
Officials from the department encouraged MSMEs to register on Amazon to enhance product visibility and expand their reach to national and global markets.
The department assured end-to-end handholding support at the artisans’ level to facilitate smooth onboarding and sustained business collaboration with Amazon.
Speaking on the occasion, Director of Commerce and Industries, F Sutnga said the partnership is expected to create long-term value for local entrepreneurs and significantly strengthen market access for MSMEs, particularly those engaged in handloom, handicrafts and indigenous products.
The MoU has been signed under the Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) scheme of the Ministry of MSME. As part of the agreement, the Meghalaya Handloom and Handicrafts Development Corporation—a public sector undertaking under the Department of Commerce and Industries—will oversee business operations on the Amazon platform, including product listings, cataloguing and pricing.
Officials said the collaboration is expected to play a crucial role in integrating Meghalaya’s artisans and MSMEs into the digital economy, enabling them to scale up operations and access wider markets through e-commerce.
The event was attended by Amazon representative Sarita Tiwari, Commerce and Industries Joint Director ML Wanshnong, Managing Director of Meghalaya Handloom and Handicrafts Development Corporation Daphiralin Kharjana, members of RAMP State Project Implementation Unit and other senior officials.
