Shillong: An MoU was exchanged here on Saturday between Pritam Dutta, director, ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship (MSDE) and Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati, and Saloni Verma, deputy secretary, food, civil supplies & consumer affairs dept, Govt of Meghalaya, and executive director & acting project director, State Livelihoods Mission (SLM), Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA), to strengthen tribal entrepreneurship and livelihood development in Meghalaya.“By empowering tribal entrepreneurs and strengthening local value chains, the initiative aligns with the Govt of India’s vision of self-reliant rural economies and sustainable tribal development,” an IIM statement says.“The collaboration aims to implement capacity-building training programmes for Van Dhan Vikash Kendras (VDVKs) under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA) scheme. The initiative is funded by the Union ministry of tribal affairs (MoTA), under the Skill India Mission, and will be implemented across nine districts of Meghalaya,” the statement elaborates.“The programme will benefit approximately 6,300 tribal members associated with 21 Van Dhan Vikash Kendras across the state,” the IIM informs.“Under this partnership, structured training and handholding support will be provided to strengthen rural entrepreneurship, enhance livelihood opportunities, and promote sustainable enterprise development at the grassroots level,” the IIM spells out.“The collaboration represents a major milestone in advancing inclusive, community-driven development, ensuring that tribal communities gain improved access to skill development, economic opportunities, and long-term livelihood security,” the statement highlights.
