Shillong: In a significant stride towards bolstering Meghalaya’s sports economy and empowering local entrepreneurs, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on July 25 officially opened the True North Center at Lapalang. This ambitious undertaking, sanctioned with a substantial Rs 1 crore under the flagship CM ELEVATE program, marks one of the largest initiatives of its kind in the state.
During the inauguration, Chief Minister Sangma was effusive in his praise for the state’s entrepreneurial spirit, specifically acknowledging individuals like “Gary” whose relentless pursuit of dreams serves as a profound inspiration. He highlighted how state-backed initiatives such as CM ELEVATE and PRIME Meghalaya are proving instrumental in equipping aspiring individuals with the necessary tools to transform their visions into tangible realities. The Chief Minister also expressed his deep admiration for the True North Center’s impressive infrastructure, underscoring the vast, untapped potential within the sports economy. He vocalised his desire to see a greater engagement from the state’s youth and entrepreneurial community in this burgeoning sector, asserting that such investments are pivotal in nurturing young talent to contribute to India’s Olympic ambitions, while simultaneously incentivising more entrepreneurs to explore the promising opportunities within this rapidly expanding domain.
Earlier on the same day, Chief Minister Sangma participated in the Summit for Rural Empowerment, organised under the aegis of the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PM-JVM). Through a post on his official X handle, he noted that the summit successfully brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including policymakers, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), farmers, community leaders, and industry partners, all united by a common goal of fostering inclusive development within tribal and rural communities. Reaffirming the state’s unwavering commitment to grassroots entrepreneurship and self-reliance, CM Sangma shared impressive figures: over 55,000 women-led SHGs and 20,000 farmer groups are actively spearheading transformative change across Meghalaya.
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