OUR CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday said India's startup ecosystem has undergone transformational growth over the last decade, with Arunachal Pradesh emerging as a strong and competitive contributor from the North East. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of Startup Arunachal Day, held during Innovation Month marking 10 years of Startup India, Khandu highlighted the state's steady progress in nurturing entrepreneurship. Announcing major support measures, the chief minister said the Arunachal Pradesh government has doubled seed funding under the Arunachal Pradesh Innovation and Investment Park (APIIP) and will also double the intake capacity for its upcoming Cohort 5.0. He noted that Startup India, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016, has expanded the national startup ecosystem to over two lakh startups, generating nearly 20 lakh direct jobs, with growing participation from Tier-II and Tier-III cities and women entrepreneurs. Referring to Arunachal Pradesh's journey, Khandu said APIIP was launched in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and the crisis was turned into an opportunity through collective efforts led by Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, the planning department and the APIIP team. He said the initiative has completed five years and has produced several successful entrepreneurial stories from the state. Citing examples, Khandu said many startups overcame challenges related to finance and market access and were able to scale up with institutional support, demonstrating the potential of Arunachal Pradesh's youth when provided proper handholding and the right platform. He observed that young people from the state have excelled over the past decade in sports, music and entrepreneurship.
Also Read: Justice Katakey highlights regulatory gaps in Meghalaya’s coal transportation