SHILLONG: The recently constituted State Institute of Entrepreneurship Development (SIED), an offshoot of the Integrated Basin Development & Livelihoods Programme, organised its first start-up seminar at the Women’s College on Monday.
The theme of the seminar, ‘Women and entrepreneurship’ was deliberated at length by different resource persons in the one-day seminar.
Speaking at the inaugural function, the chief guest, Meghalaya Chief Secretary, WMS Pariat said it is appropriate to speak of women entrepreneurship since they constitute 50% of the population.
“The objective of the MIED is to tap the large pool of talent and resources available in the State. The Integrated Basin Development and Livelihoods project focuses on rural areas and the livelihoods opportunities that can be created around river basins in the State,” Mr Pariat stated. He also said that these initiatives are also aimed at creating an eco system for economic opportunities with environmental sustainability.
Mr Pariat highlighted that the major livelihoods projects would be centred around fisheries, micro hydel projects, sericulture and weaving, small forestry etc. “If this is to come about we need to focus on entrepreneurship development. Absence of entrepreneurship skills has impacted the State negatively and specific programmes for skills development would have to be developed,” Mr Pariat informed.
Stating that educational institutions, particularly those offering graduate courses need to provide education on entrepreneurship and skills development, Mr Pariat said this is imperative so that students do not find themselves at a loose end after they graduate.
Guest of honour, Additional Chief Secretary, PBO Warjri, said it is appropriate to have a seminar on women’s entrepreneurship at Women’s College. Mr Warjri pointed out that although women’s empowerment is a world wide agenda, it is often treated with condescension. This he said is a misplaced attitude because women have always contributed to the family income and therefore to the GDP of the State and country.
Citing the example of the Meghalaya Rural Development Society (MRDS) under the IFAD project where women play pro-active roles, Warjri said that women have been able to form cohorts for sustainable entrepreneurship initiatives. He also added that women learned many more lessons from the project than men. Citing an example from the project village of Sohkymphor in Jaintia Hills where making of Murrahs (cane seats) had become a dying trade, Warjri said one woman leader with inputs from the MRDS social venture capital had been able to revive the trade and to make it viable.
Earlier, Mr RM Mishra, Director General, SIED while addressing the largely women audience said it has become important to infuse new ideas for entrepreneurship so that those who have dreams could concretise them.
The inaugural function was chaired by Dr BB Dutta, a prominent member of the College Governing body.