CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG: In a significant push towards strengthening sustainable rural entrepreneurship in Meghalaya, the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA) and the SELCO Foundation have formalized a strategic partnership aimed at transforming livelihood-based activities into viable, long-term enterprises. The collaboration comes under the ambit of the PRIME Programme and focuses on delivering structured, last-mile incubation support to rural entrepreneurs across the state.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Dr. Vijay Kumar D., IAS, Chief Executive Officer of the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency, and Dr. Harish Hande, Chief Executive Officer of SELCO Foundation. The partnership marks a convergence of state-led development initiatives with grassroots innovation expertise, with a clear focus on sustainability-driven economic growth.
At the core of the collaboration is the promotion of Decentralized Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Green Built Environment solutions as key enablers of rural enterprise development. By integrating clean energy technologies with enterprise incubation, the initiative seeks to reduce operational costs, improve productivity, and enhance the long-term viability of rural businesses. An emphasis has also been placed on inclusive and innovative financing models to ensure that entrepreneurs at the grassroots level are not constrained by access to capital.
Through this partnership, MBMA and SELCO Foundation aim to support more than 500 rural enterprises across Meghalaya. The initiative will provide end-to-end enterprise support, including technical guidance, business development assistance, and capacity building, delivered directly at the last mile. By strengthening entrepreneurial capabilities and embedding sustainability into rural business models, the collaboration is expected to play a crucial role in bolstering livelihoods, fostering green growth, and advancing Meghalaya's broader vision of inclusive and sustainable development.
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