Dimapur, November 7 (MTNews): During the second session of the National, Innovate, Integrate, and Expand (NIIE) Trade Fair 2022 organized by the Business Associations of Nagas (BAN), various panelists deliberated on agriculture and tourism integration; infield traditional farming experience; agriculture logistics and air cargo and connectivity in detail on November 4 at Agri Expo Complex, Dimapur.
‘Stakeholder & policymakers should come together’: Ishita Ganguli Tripathy
Additional development commissioner, Ministry of MSME, government of India, Dr. Ishita Ganguli Tripathy stated that the Udyam certificate was the basic certificate required to identify an enterprise as an MSME. She stated that this was important for any enterprise in order to avail the benefits under the schemes.
Dr. Ishita opined that policy combination could be as dynamic as possible if stakeholders could make their contributions. She remarked that MSME Nagaland has a “huge potential” and in order to make sure that this potential actually becomes reality, she suggested the creation of more awareness.
“Awareness is tremendously lacking in the NorthEast region,” she said and called on all the policymakers and the stakeholders to come together to create more awareness on MSME and its schemes and benefits, especially for young entrepreneurs and women.
‘Organize agriculture festivals’: Pandurang Taware
Founder, Agri Tourism Development Corporation, Maharashtra, Pandurang Taware in his talk stressed on how important it was for farmers and entrepreneurs to have excellent knowledge about their respective states.
Pandurang, who is a farmer himself urged upon the agri & allied sectors as well as Nagas to organize agriculture festivals based on foods, flowers and medicinal plants.
“Other states do not have as many medicinal plants as Nagaland. Nagaland has good soil, good agri climate,” he said and stressed on how the people had opportunities right outside their homes, which could be used to farm for self-sustenance.
He also stated that entrepreneurs who ventured into farming could create jobs for people in the state, wherein, others would follow suit and the state’s economy would simultaneously flourish.
‘Develop air cargo facility and air strips’: Ababe Ezung
BAN finance secretary and MD, East Air & Charter Service, Ababe Ezung stressed on how a time has come where businesses and entrepreneurship in Nagaland has slowly been growing. He informed that BAN has been taking steps to act as a medium so that various issues concerning the livelihoods of farmers, entrepreneurship, etc. could be addressed and effectively resolved through discourse like these. He highlighted the need for proper air cargo facilities to be installed at Dimapur airport and air strips in different parts of Nagaland for boosting air connectivity.
Deputy director, Tourism department, Tiarenla Rutsa stated that of late, the Tourism department has been focusing on agriculture, handloom and handicraft, homestays, etc., while senior divisional operations manager, Lumding Division, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), Deepak Kumar Murmu and postmaster general NE-II, Som Kamei spoke on workings of the NFR and department of Posts respectively.
The program was moderated by BAN advisor, CEO of Window Media and chairman of Echahaba Tea Growers’ Cooperative Society Ltd., Dr. Aotoshi.
The panelist for the event included: Dr. Ishita Ganguli Tripathy, Additional Development Commissioner, Ministry of MSME, Govt. of India; Tiarenla Rutsa, Deputy Director, Tourism Department, GoN; Deepak Kumar Murmu, Sr. Divisional Operations Manager, North East Frontier Railway, Govt. of India; Som Kamei, Postmaster General NE-II, Govt. of India; Pandurang Taware, Founder, Agri Tourism Development Corporation, Maharashtra; Ababe Ezung, MD, East Air & Charter Service and Finance Secretary, BAN.