Lok Sabha Question No. 31 (STARRED), answered on 2021-02-03
Subject: Promoting Entrepreneurship in NER
Ministry: DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION
Asked by: Meenakashi Lekhi

## Government of India

## Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *31

To be answered on

Wednesday, February 3, 2021/Magha 14, 1942 (Saka)

## QUESTION

## Promoting Entrepreneurship in NER

- *31. SHRIMATI MEENAKSHI LEKHI:

Will the Minister of DEVLEOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION be pleased to state:

- (a) Whether  the  Government  is  taking  steps  to  promote  entrepreneurship  in  the North Eastern Region (NER);
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is planning to market the products being produced in the North Eastern Region through e-commerce platform; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

The Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region [Dr. Jitendra Singh]

- (a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. *31 for answer on 03.02.2021.

(a) and (b): Yes Sir. The Government has initiated and implemented several initiatives for  promotion  of  entrepreneurship  and  for  improvement  in  enabling  environment  and vibrant ecosystem to enable entrepreneurs to tap the potential of the region. Important connectivity projects for capital rail, air and road connectivity  will  be completed in the next two to three years. Development of Inland Waterways- National Waterways 2 and National  Waterways  16    will  provide  connectivity  to  Haldia  through  Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route and greatly benefit the eco-system by reducing cost.

2. Bamboo which has the potential to change the NE economy has got a boost with setting up of bio-refinery at Numaligarh, Assam; Bamboo Industrial Park at Dima Hasao, Assam; with reduced imports following enhancement of import duty to 25% on  bamboo sticks for Agarbattis and amendment in Indian Forest Act, 1927.

3. The  institutional  framework  for  promotion  of  entrepreneurship  is  provided  by several institutes in NER like Indian Institute of Entrpreneurship (IIE), Guwahati; three Indian Institutes of Information Technology(IIIT) in NER, Institutes of Hotel Management at Guwahati and Shillong, Film and Television Institute at Jollang-Rakap (Jote),  Arunachal  Pradesh,  and  National  Institute  of  Design  (NID),  Jorhat,  Assam. These institutes provide opportunity for skilling and nurturing young creative talent and design aspirants from North East Region and boost entrepreneurship.   Further, Krishi Udaan Scheme to evacuate local produce, 586 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras and Zoram Mega Food Park etc. will boost entrepreneurship, trade and commerce.  In Assam and Meghalaya,  the  PMYUVA  Pilot  is  being  implemented  in  selected  Industrial  Training Institutes  (ITIs),  Polytechnics,  Pradhan  Mantri  Kaushal  Kendra  (PMKKs)  centres  and Jan Sikshan Sansthan (JSS).  Under PMYUVA, 25 project institutes have been selected for the pilot project on Entrepreneurship Development in Assam and Meghalaya.

4. Entrepreneurs  in  NER  have  also  been  benefitted  under  various  credit  related schemes.  Under  Stand  Up  India  Scheme,  3,449  loan  accounts  of  SC/ST/Women beneficiaries  were  sanctioned  for  Rs.  714.83  crore  and  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Mudra Yojana, a total of 1,07,26,209 loan accounts were sanctioned for Rs 48,868 crore in the 8  North  Eastern  States.    Under Prime  Minister's  Employment  Generation  Programme 24,455 units  were set up and employment for 1,95,640 persons was generated  from

2017-18  to  31.12.2020;  under  Credit  Guarantee  Trust  Fund  of  Micro  and  Small Enterprises (CGTMSE), an amount of Rs.4684.55 crore was approved towards 98569 guarantees.  An amount of Rs.21.26 crore was settled for 83393   beneficiaries under Interest  Subvention  Scheme  for  Incremental  Credit  to  MSME  since  its  inception  in November, 2018.

5. The Start-up  India  Initiatives  aims  at  fostering  entrepreneurship  and  promoting innovation  by  creating  and  enabling  eco-system.  Under  this,  408  startups  have  been recognized in the NER.

6. North  East  Development  Finance  Institution(NEDFI)  has  extended  financial assistance to 6844 no. of projects with total sanctions and disbursement of Rs.5487.92 Cr. & Rs.4222.64 Cr. respectively, facilitating capital formation of around Rs.15922 Cr. during 1995 to 2020.The North East Venture Fund (NEVF), the first dedicated Venture Fund for  NE  has  approved  investments  worth  Rs  59.52  Crore  in  29  ventures  across sectors including healthcare, mobility, IT &ITeS, food processing/food tech, adventure tourism, agri-allied services and handicraft.

7. Under  North  East  Industrial  Development  Scheme    (NEIDS),  2017,    202  units have been registered.

(c)  and  (d):  Organizations  such  as    North  East  Handicrafts  &  Handloom   Corporation (NEHHDC),Tribal  Cooperative  Marketing  Development  Federation  of  India  (TRIFED), Khadi and Village Industries  Commission(KVIC) have launched E- Commerce portals i.e. www.purbashree.com, www.tribesindia.com, ekhadiindia.com which enable entrepreneurs  including  from  North  East  to  reach  out  to  a  wider  market.      The organizations  like  NEHHDC  and  TRIFED  are  also  supporting  the  marketing  of  NE products through other e-commerce platforms.

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