Photo Courtesy: nenews
Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma launched a series of entrepreneurship initiatives on Monday at the Youth and Innovation Summit 2026 in Shillong. He wants to build a persistent business climate where young innovators stay in the state. Sangma believes the government acts as a catalyst by offering support, platforms, and policy backing for new ideas.
The Chief Minister handed out grants to winners of the Chief Minister's Business Catalyst Challenge. Students pitched diverse projects, including soap made from waste cooking oil and compost derived from Iewduh market trash. Other successful proposals featured cold storage for Khasi mandarin and Lakadong turmeric, along with single-origin coffee production from Mawkyrwat.
Sangma addressed the need for consistent progress. "It doesn't happen with one competition. It doesn't happen with one IT park. It's something that you start feeling. It's just happening again and again and again," he said.
The state also introduced the PRIME Digital Service Provider Platform. This doorstep service connects residents with local professionals for plumbing, electrical work, carpentry, tailoring, cleaning, and salon services. The platform keeps zero commission, lets workers set their own prices, and handles digital payments. Officials plan to roll this out across district headquarters in phases.
The new Chief Minister's Innovation Contest 2026 seeks residents with working prototypes. It connects these creators with technical experts and government departments to scale their solutions. Sangma reported that the state's second IT Park is already fully booked and planners are eyeing a third phase. He pushed institutions like IIM, NIFT, and the Indian Institute of Fashion Design to run short courses for locals. Dr. Theodore Lyngdoh and the IIM Shillong team received thanks for their management of the business challenge.
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