NAMSAI : Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Friday described Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as key drivers of inclusive economic growth and employment generation, stating that the sector contributes nearly 30 per cent to India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and is the country’s second-largest source of employment.
Addressing a Townhall Meeting on MSMEs organised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Itanagar, at the Multipurpose Cultural Hall here to commemorate International MSME Day, Mein urged aspiring entrepreneurs and Self Help Group (SHG) members to leverage government schemes and become self-reliant job creators.
Highlighting the state government’s MSME Facilitation Ordinance, 2026, Mein said the legislation aims to improve the ease of doing business through simplified procedures and a single-window mechanism for MSME loan processing. He also highlighted flagship initiatives such as the Arunachal Pradesh Entrepreneurship Development Programme (APEDP) 5.0, Deendayal Upadhyay Swavalamban Yojana (DDUSY) and the ARUN MSME Mission, which provide capital subsidies, interest subvention and entrepreneurship support to youth and women.
The townhall aimed to bring unbanked entrepreneurs into the formal financial system, improve access to institutional credit and facilitate direct interaction between entrepreneurs, banks and key stakeholders.
RBI Itanagar General Manager Abhijit Majumdar said that although banks in Arunachal Pradesh had achieved the Priority Sector Lending targets under the Annual Credit Plan, the state’s Credit-Deposit Ratio stood at 42.73 per cent as of March 2026, below the RBI benchmark of 60 per cent. He urged banks to enhance credit flow to MSMEs under various government schemes to accelerate economic development and improve the state’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).
Namsai Deputy Commissioner CR Khampa emphasised that sustainable economic development depends on entrepreneurship and encouraged entrepreneurs to explore emerging opportunities in waste management, recycling and upcycling.
Namsai District Planning Officer Dr Keshab Sharma called for greater collaboration between entrepreneurs and financial institutions to promote value addition and exports of local products in line with the vision of ‘Viksit Arunachal’, while assuring continued support from the district administration for enterprise promotion.
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Assistant General Manager Kamal Roy highlighted the institution’s initiatives in credit planning, sustainable agriculture, climate-resilient development and Geographical Indication (GI)-based livelihood promotion.
During the programme, the Deputy Chief Minister launched NABARD’s Potential Linked Credit Plan (PLP) for Namsai district, projecting a priority sector credit potential of ₹164.78 crore.
Officials from RBI, the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and NABARD made presentations on MSME financing, government support schemes, credit guarantee coverage, capital subsidies, interest subvention and financial inclusion.
The Chief Executive Officer of NOSAAP, Namsai, presented the success story of setting up processing facilities for turmeric and Khamti rice, highlighting the benefits of value addition and collective enterprise.
An interactive open-house session enabled entrepreneurs to raise issues relating to credit access, documentation and banking procedures, which were addressed by officials of participating banks and financial institutions. Participants also received RBI publications on MSMEs and financial literacy.
On the sidelines of the programme, NOSAAP organised a Buyer-Seller Meet under the NABARD-supported JIVA (Natural Farming) Project. The exhibition showcased natural farming models and value-added products prepared by SHGs from across the district.
DCM Chowna Mein visited the stalls and appreciated the efforts of SHGs in promoting natural farming, rural livelihoods and local entrepreneurship.
The programme was attended by around 450 participants, including MSME entrepreneurs, SHG members, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), officials of the Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ArSRLM), Moneywise CRISIL Foundation, representatives of commercial banks, Arunachal Pradesh Rural Bank, Arunachal Pradesh State Cooperative Apex Bank, SIDBI, NABARD and various government departments.
Among those present were Namsai Deputy Commissioner CR Khampa, Namsai District Planning Officer Dr Keshab Sharma and State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) Deputy General Manager Amit Ranjan.
