DIMAPUR: Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Nagaland, under the Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) programme, has successfully completed two major capacity-building and entrepreneurship development initiatives aimed at strengthening the state’s MSME ecosystem and promoting entrepreneurship among educated unemployed youth.
Under the Capacity Building Programme for 18,000 MSMEs, a total of 192 workshops were conducted across all 17 districts, covering more than 21,000 MSMEs. The programme included 57 Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme workshops and 135 specialised capacity-building workshops focusing on financial literacy, legal and statutory compliance, business management, digital and social media marketing, customer engagement, innovation, social responsibility and communication skills.
Women accounted for a significant share of participants, with 11,445 women MSMEs trained under the programme. The initiative also recorded participation from 236 MSMEs owned or represented by persons with disabilities (PwDs), while overall PwD participation across categories stood at 584.
According to a follow-up assessment, participants applied the knowledge gained in areas such as financial management, digital payments, customer engagement, communication, business planning and regulatory compliance. Among 4,466 valid responses received, 66.6% reported increased income from self-employment, while 9.7% reported expansion of their existing businesses. The findings were participant-reported and indicate enterprise-level progress following the training programme.
Complementing the statewide MSME capacity-building initiative, the Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) introduced educated unemployed youth to entrepreneurship and self-employment as viable career and livelihood options.
A total of 12 EDP workshops were conducted across Dimapur, Chümoukedima, Kohima, Mokokchung, Wokha, Zunheboto, Tuensang and Mon, benefiting over 483 participants.
The EDP curriculum provided practical exposure to entrepreneurship, identification of business opportunities, market research, business planning, marketing, SWOT analysis, bookkeeping, government support schemes, enterprise management, networking, communication, branding and digital tools.
Participants also engaged in startup ideation exercises, preparation of basic business plans, budgeting exercises, cashbook maintenance, case studies, networking activities and group assessments.
The programme assessment highlighted the need for greater practical exposure, sustained mentoring and networking opportunities, improved access to finance and structured post-training support to help aspiring entrepreneurs convert business ideas into viable enterprises.
The department stated that the successful completion of the two initiatives marked a significant milestone under RAMP Nagaland, combining large-scale capacity-building for existing MSMEs with entrepreneurship development for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Together, the interventions have sought to strengthen enterprise capabilities, encourage formalisation, improve business practices and promote entrepreneurship as a sustainable pathway for livelihood generation and employment in the state.
RAMP is a World Bank-supported Government of India programme aimed at strengthening the MSME ecosystem. Launched in Nagaland on August 27, 2024, it is being implemented by the Department of Industries & Commerce through targeted MSME and entrepreneurship interventions.
The Capacity Building and Entrepreneurship Development initiatives were implemented in partnership with EduNorth East Pvt. Ltd. and Schoolnet India Limited.
