ITANAGAR : The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), Shillong, under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, organised an awareness webinar on the Corporate Mitra Scheme on Friday for students, youth, professionals, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and entrepreneurs in Arunachal Pradesh.
The webinar was held as part of the Corporate Mitra Scheme Awareness Campaign for the Northeast in collaboration with Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU). The Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI) served as the lead co-host, while The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) and The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) participated as supporting co-hosts.
The scheme aims to strengthen MSMEs, particularly in Tier-II cities, by creating a pool of trained and accredited Corporate Mitras to provide affordable and accessible professional support in areas such as regulatory compliance, taxation, accounting, governance and financial management. The initiative also seeks to equip young graduates with industry-relevant skills, thereby enhancing their employability.
Officials said the scheme is expected to strengthen the MSME ecosystem while generating employment opportunities, particularly in the Northeastern region, by enabling enterprises to focus on innovation and business expansion while meeting statutory requirements.
The programme has an initial pan-India target of 2,000 participants, including 200 from the Northeast, with candidates from the region eligible for a 50 per cent concession in course fees.
For the Northeast, IICA Shillong has been designated as the nodal agency to coordinate with state governments, universities, industry bodies and other stakeholders for promotion and implementation of the scheme.
Registrations for the Corporate Mitra course opened on July 15 and will remain open until July 31.
Delivering the welcome address, IICA Shillong Officer on Special Duty and Nodal Officer for the Corporate Mitra Scheme in the Northeast Debarun Kalita acknowledged the guidance of IICA Director General Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh in conceptualising and developing the programme.
Kalita said the initiative was designed to address challenges faced by MSMEs, particularly in the Northeast, including regulatory compliance burdens, limited access to affordable business advisory services and the need to improve the ease of doing business.
ICMAI President Chittaranjan Chattopadhyay, in his keynote address, highlighted the importance of building a skilled professional workforce to support MSMEs and contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047.
ICMAI Vice-President Manoj Kumar Anand emphasised the need for a supportive ecosystem for both young professionals and MSMEs, while Rajiv Gandhi University Department of Commerce Head Prof Rama Chandra Parida encouraged students to take advantage of the opportunities offered under the scheme.
The technical session was led by ICMAI Registered Valuers Organisation Managing Director CMA (Dr) S K Gupta, who explained the objectives, implementation framework and key components of the scheme. The presentation was followed by an interactive session addressing participants’ queries.
More than 150 students, faculty members and aspiring professionals from various institutions across Arunachal Pradesh participated in the webinar.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks, acknowledging the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, IICA, partner institutions and organisers for the successful conduct of the event. (DIPR)
