Nagaland Governor Nand Kishore Yadav inaugurated the Made in Nagaland Centre at YouthNet, 5th Mile, Chumoukedima, on Tuesday, with the initiative aimed at providing local entrepreneurs a platform to showcase their products and access wider markets.
Speaking at the inauguration, Yadav said the centre represented an important step towards creating an ecosystem where Nagaland’s creativity, traditional skills, agricultural products, food traditions and other local products could find markets and generate sustainable economic value.
He said the Made in Nagaland initiative, which began in 2018 with 81 entrepreneurs, had grown to around 350 entrepreneurs and 600 products from across Nagaland.
The Governor stressed the need for entrepreneurs to have access to skills, finance, mentoring, technology, branding, packaging, digital marketing and market intelligence. He also emphasised quality control, standardisation, product consistency and supply chains to help local products compete in markets beyond the State.
He said Chumoukedima, as an important gateway to Nagaland and being close to Dimapur, was well placed to showcase the State’s entrepreneurial and creative potential.
Advisor for Industries and Commerce and founder of YouthNet, Hekani Jakhalu, said YouthNet was established in 2006 with the objective of encouraging young people to take up entrepreneurship and create employment opportunities.
She said the first Made in Nagaland Centre was launched in Kohima in 2018 and the Chumoukedima centre marked the third such initiative. She said the centre was intended to showcase the potential of young Naga entrepreneurs and support them in areas such as branding, packaging and access to wider markets.
Jakhalu also highlighted the importance of infrastructure, including roads and power supply, in supporting entrepreneurship. She said access to finance was being facilitated through the Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) Scheme being implemented by the Department of Industries and Commerce.
Advisor to the Chief Minister and Chairman of the Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN), Abu Metha, congratulated YouthNet for its work in creating employment opportunities and connecting local producers with markets.
He said initiatives such as the Made in Nagaland Centre were aligned with efforts to empower youth and strengthen Nagaland’s creative economy.
Earlier, YouthNet Director and Chief Functionary Nuneseno Chase delivered the welcome address.
Following the program, Governor Yadav toured the Made in Nagaland Centre and Training Institute and took an overview of the facilities and activities.
The program was attended by government officials, legislators, YouthNet members, entrepreneurs and other dignitaries.