Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday said Meghalaya’s future depends on its youth as the state government rolled out fresh skill development initiatives, start-up support and training programmes during Skillerate 2026 held in Tura.
TURA :The Meghalaya government on Thursday distributed PROPEL start-up tools to 798 beneficiaries and issued 34 work orders worth more than ₹16.59 crore under Skills Meghalaya and the State Capability Enhancement and Human Development Mission (SHCDM) during Skillerate 2026 in Tura.
The programme, held at Holly Hocks in Tura, focused on employment generation, entrepreneurship and skill development for youth across Garo Hills.Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma described Meghalaya’s youth as the state’s “biggest strength” and said long-term investments in skills, training and livelihood support were essential for the state’s future.
“Training alone is not enough. A skilled youth must also have access to tools, handholding, market linkages and opportunities,” the Chief Minister stated.
According to the government, the newly sanctioned work orders are expected to support the training of 4,830 youth across Garo Hills in multiple sectors under the state’s expanding skill development framework. Officials said the initiative forms part of a wider effort to connect training programmes with actual employment opportunities and self-employment support.
The Chief Minister highlighted the progress made under Skills Meghalaya over the years, stating that more than 58,000 candidates have been enrolled across different sectors, while over 28,000 youth have already received formal training.
The government also stated that over 19,000 young people have been supported through self-employment initiatives, while more than 3,200 candidates secured placements both within and outside Meghalaya.
In addition, over 5,000 trainees have reportedly received post-training start-up tools to help them establish livelihoods after completing skill programmes. Conrad Sangma said the government’s focus has gradually shifted beyond conventional training programmes toward creating a full ecosystem involving entrepreneurship support, financial assistance, market access and placement opportunities.
He noted that livelihood opportunities were being created across sectors including agriculture, food processing, hospitality, handicrafts and small businesses.
According to official figures shared during the programme, Meghalaya generated more than 3.6 lakh livelihood opportunities between FY2019 and FY2025 through investments in skills, entrepreneurship and market-linked initiatives.
The Chief Minister also announced that the state aims to train around 30,000 candidates during FY2026–27 with stronger emphasis on future-ready skills and improved placement outcomes.
Congratulating the graduating trainees, he encouraged young people to pursue work with confidence and dignity while contributing to the state’s economic growth.
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