Photo Courtesy: nenow
Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu wants more business in the state. He announced a fresh push for entrepreneurship Tuesday, including the Arunachal Creative Economy programme and a new think tank called the Institute for Transforming Arunachal. He described the institute as a “mini NITI Aayog” for the state. The group will guide policy in sectors like tourism and agriculture.
Khandu addressed graduates of Cohort 4 and welcomed the new Cohort 5 of the Arunachal Pradesh Entrepreneurship Development Program. He doubled the intake from 50 to 100 startups. He also raised seed funding, jumping from five lakh to ten lakh rupees and four lakh to eight lakh rupees depending on the tier. One hundred entrepreneurs will now spend nine months in incubation at the Arunachal Pradesh Innovation and Investment Park.
Seven higher education institutions now have satellite incubation cells. Five more schools signed memorandums of understanding to join the network. The Chief Minister also launched the Youth Empowerment Sphere portal to bundle state and central government schemes into one window.
Khandu pushed for professional growth. He directed officials to consult on tax incentives for startups transitioning into private limited companies. He advised local businesses to hire accountants and file tax returns. He emphasized the state's potential, pointing to 19,000 MW of hydropower capacity and recent auctions of five mineral blocks including vanadium and graphite. The state is currently pursuing 7,941 crore rupees in promised investments.
Since starting in 2021, the development program has launched over 150 startups. Success stories include KT Marketing, winner of the Bharat Entrepreneur Award 2025, and Arunachal Ivory and Ornaments, which saw its 3D-printed headgear featured on the Prime Minister's Mann Ki Baat. Khandu credited the ongoing success to the work of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, the CEO, and the broader team at the innovation park.
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