Create more success Stories: DONER Secretary Naveen Verma tells NEDFi

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Aug 9: DONER Secretary Naveen Verma on Thursday asked the North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi) to create more success stories in the field entrepreneurship and promotion of industries in the region.

Speaking at a function held on the occasion of the 23rd foundation day of NEDFi here on Thursday morning, Verma said he would like to be more critical about the NEDFi’s functioning on this day so that the organization could introspect on its future roadmap. He said even though the NEDFi has made several achievements during the last two decades, it has to play a proactive role and create more success stories in the sphere of entrepreneurship development and promotion of industries.

NEDFi provides financial assistance to micro, small, medium and large enterprises for setting up industrial, infrastructure and agri-allied projects in the Northeastern region of the country.

Verma said the NEDFi is still not the most preferred organization for seeking loans and the organization will have to do more to attract more youths to disburse its loans to enable them to launch their various entrepreneurship ventures. “The NEDFi can play the role of a mentor for Start Up projects,” the DONER secretary said adding that there is a need for the NEDFi to collaborate with other organizations to achieve its goals.

Earlier Verma released three studies carried out by the Advisory & Consultancy Division of NEDFi on skill development in NE States, State specific project profiles on micro and small enterprises and techno-commercial feasibility study on e-commerce platform for marketing of handloom and handicraft products of NE region.

CMD of NEDFi BP Muktieh in his address highlighted achievements and challenges faced by the NEDFi in its 23 years of journey.

The day-long event also saw the inauguration of the North East Craft & Organic Fair-2018. The five-day long fair will facilitate participation of artisans and weavers belonging to the handloom and handicraft sector as well as farmer producers organizations developed under the scheme of MOVCDNER.

Verma also launched the banana fibre products made during a training programme conducted by the NEDFi. A NEDFi official said there is a craze in the market for eco-friendly natural fibre products. Use of natural fibre enhances value and thereby ensures better return to the artisans and weavers. It has added advantage when the raw material is free and in abundance.