August 15, 2026 10:56 am (IST)
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DoNER minister invites women entrepreneurs to invest in NE region
Guwahati, Nov 17 (IBNS) : The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Jitendra Singh has invited women entrepreneurs from across the country to invest in the North-East Region and take a lead in developing the region as an industrial hub not only for India but also for the countries across the eastern borders.
Launching the “Swayam” initiative of “Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry” (FICCI) women wing in Guwahati on Tuesday, Jitendra Singh said that the unique advantage of any women initiative is that it has a wider social and public impact, also because a woman holds stake for at least three generations, that is, the generation of her parents and in-laws, the generation of her husband and brothers, and the generation of her children.
Appreciating the “Swayam” initiative by FICCI women, the Union minister said that it has already been launched in Delhi and other places, resulting in successful engagement of women from all sections, in big and small self-employed vocations and observed that the arrival of “Swayam” in Guwahati will open a new chapter in the growth of Northeast and at the same time also open new vistas of opportunity, not only for women alone but for the entire population of the eight North Eastern States.
“In the last few months a number of new initiatives have been undertaken by the Government of India to promote business, industry and consequential job avenues in the region. In this regard, he referred to the ‘Organic Farming Mission’, which is being pursued in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Agriculture and will not only generate business but would also reinforce the identity of the region through its original products,” Jitendra Singh said.
The Union minister said that expansion of healthcare entrepreneurship in the region is also being worked out in a big way through private-public participation and it is a pleasant coincidence that even in the health sector, some of the leading women entrepreneurs have come forward to set up establishments in Northeast.
“In the contemporary society with the world becoming smaller and unipolar, time has come to seek not mere employment but long-term employability and for this, FICCI women’s ‘Swayam’ initiative holds the promise to go a long way. When we talk of ‘Act East’ policy to do business with the countries across the eastern borders, it is imperative to generate original growth products proximal to the eastern borders within Northeast so that they get takers across the borders,” the minister said.
FLO North East Chairperson, Joyshree Das Verma said that mentorship and guidance is a tool that has the potential to help women entrepreneurs grow their businesses, and in some cases change their lives.
“The objective of Swayam is to link FLO women as mentors to women entrepreneurs in 15 locations Pan India. This linkage will facilitate finance, access to banking & government schemes and help identifying franchise opportunities for potential women entrepreneurs. Panels of mentors have been created for the support and guidance of women entrepreneurs across India,” Verma said.
Dr. Sriparna B.Baruah, Co-ordinator Swayam FLO North East shared the current scenerio of Women Entrepreneurship in North East and the way forward.
Dr. Baruah highlighted the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs with special reference to Assam and North East context which also provided an insight to the probable solutions.
The concept of Swayam will be presented to multiple Colleges and Management Institutes as part of the campus outreach program, so that any student interested in a startup can avail of FLO Swayam services.
Gautam Bhattacharjee, Northeast Regional Head, SBI also spoke on the occasion.
(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
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