Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Arunachal Pradesh: A Successful Workshop by NITI Aayog

The Second State Workshop on Enabling Women-led Development through Entrepreneurship, conducted by NITI Aayog in collaboration with the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) and the Government of Arunachal Pradesh, was a highly successful event. Taking place at the Dorjee Khandu State Convention Center in Itanagar, the workshop had a specific focus on the northeastern region and attracted representatives from all eight northeastern states.

During the inaugural session, the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Shri Pema Khandu, made an announcement regarding the establishment of a Women Entrepreneurship Cell with initial funding of INR 5 crore to provide support to women entrepreneurs in the state. This initiative reflects the government’s dedication to supporting women-led development through specialized programs, including incubation and acceleration.

Mr. Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director of Atal Innovation Mission NITI Aayog, presented the vision behind Viksit Bharat 2047, which aims to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem. The workshop also included the participation of Ms. Anna Roy, Senior Advisor at NITI Aayog and Mission Director WEP, who emphasized the role of WEP in promoting cooperative federalism and supporting women-led development in the Northeast.

The workshop also marked the launch of several initiatives aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs in critical sectors such as clean energy, agriculture, healthcare, and micro-businesses. These initiatives, developed in partnership with industry and ecosystem leaders, aim to raise awareness and provide solutions for sustainability and climate resilience among women entrepreneurs in the northeastern states.

One such initiative, the “CatalyseTech EntreprenueHer Innovation Challenge”, is a partnership between Atal Innovation Centre and SELCO Foundation that focuses on supporting clean energy entrepreneurship. The “Maitri program”, in partnership with MakeMyTrip, aims to provide training and capacity building for women homestay owners in the northeastern region to promote their growth as entrepreneurs.

Additionally, the launch of the “NASSCOM Future Skills Program” will provide skills training to women entrepreneurs from different backgrounds to help them test concepts, refine business strategies, and create value for their customers. The “FLO MSME Assist Centre” by FICCI FLO was also launched to provide women entrepreneurs with mentorship, networking opportunities, and skill development tailored to their specific needs.

To expand the reach of WEP, partners such as Mastercard and SquarePanda announced new features on the platform, including content in 12 languages and a chatbot. The workshop, which attracted over 1500 participants, provided women entrepreneurs with valuable insights and featured a tech experience center curated by the SELCO Foundation to showcase sustainable tech entrepreneurs from the northeastern region.

Overall, the workshop was a significant step towards empowering women entrepreneurs in Arunachal Pradesh and the northeastern region as a whole. With the launch of various initiatives and programs, as well as the government’s commitment to supporting women-led development, the future looks promising for women entrepreneurs in the region.