Over 3.6 lakh livelihood opportunities created from FY'19 to FY'25: Meghalaya CM

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday said the state has created over 3.6 lakh livelihood opportunities between FY'19 and FY'25 through investments in skills, entrepreneurship and market linkages.

Addressing a programme - Skillerate 2026 - here, Sangma said Meghalaya's ''biggest strength is its youth'', and stressed the need to create sustainable livelihood opportunities through skill development and entrepreneurship support.

The chief minister distributed start-up tools and work orders worth over Rs 16.59 crore.

During the programme, 34 work orders were issued under the Skills Meghalaya and Supporting Human Capital Development in Meghalaya (SHCDM) for training 4,830 people.

Start-up tools worth Rs 44.72 lakh were distributed to 798 beneficiaries across multiple trades and livelihood sectors, including plumbing, automotive servicing, gardening, farming systems, mobile phone repair and mushroom cultivation.

''Training alone is not enough. A skilled youth must also have access to tools, handholding, market linkages and opportunities,'' Sangma said.

The government realised that many trained individuals were unable to start independent work because they lacked basic tools and equipment, he said.

''This programme is not only about distributing toolkits. It is about creating dignity, confidence and livelihood opportunities for our youths,'' he said.

Highlighting Meghalaya's economic progress, Sangma said the state is now recognised as one of the fastest-growing economies in the country, but stressed that growth must remain inclusive.

''Economic growth alone is not enough if the benefits do not reach every household, every farmer and every entrepreneur,'' he said.

The chief minister also announced that the government aims to train 30,000 candidates during FY'27, while focusing on improving placement outcomes and future-ready skills.

Labour, Employment and Skill Development Minister Methodius Dkhar, who attended the programme as the guest of honour, said skill development serves as a bridge between a person's potential and purpose in life.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)