Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Monday urged the youth of the state to look beyond government jobs and take up entrepreneurship, saying his government was committed to creating an ecosystem where they could become “opportunity creators”.
Addressing the first ‘Udyami Bharosa Sammelan’ for entrepreneurs at Manan Kendra, Gangtok, Tamang lauded young Sikkimese who took the risk of building businesses.
“I salute every young Sikkimese who chose to create their own path, who dared to write a business plan instead of only a job application, and who saw opportunity where others saw problems,” Tamang said.
Tamang said the spirit of entrepreneurship was at the heart of the government’s “One Family, One Entrepreneur” vision, noting several initiatives launched since 2019 to promote an entrepreneurial ecosystem in the state.
“These include the SEED Cell, Sikkim INSPIRES, Yuva Udyamshilta Vikas Yojana, Sikkim Startup Policy, MSME Policy, Skilled Youth Startup Scheme and Sikkim RISE,” he said.
The chief minister also noted the growing participation of women in entrepreneurship, saying more than 65,000 rural women were associated with self-help groups.
Tamang, however, cautioned aspiring entrepreneurs that government support alone could not guarantee the success of a business.
“Subsidy can help us start, but customers, quality, discipline and sustainability build a business,” he said.
Acknowledging that many young entrepreneurs were first-generation business owners, he urged them not to be discouraged by setbacks.
“You may make mistakes, but learn from them, rise again and keep moving forward,” he said.
Tamang said young people could pursue government employment if they wished, but should not limit their ambitions to government vacancies.
“Pursue government jobs if you wish, but do not limit your dreams to government vacancies. Look around you and ask: What problem can I solve? What can I create? What opportunity can I build?” he said.
He urged young entrepreneurs to start with manageable ventures and gradually expand, saying, “Dream big, but start small”.
The chief minister also called upon successful entrepreneurs to mentor others and help create a new generation of business owners in the state.
He appealed to people to support local entrepreneurs and purchase locally produced goods and services whenever possible.
“Our government believes in your potential. You take one step forward, and the government will take two steps forward to support you,” he said.
“Together, let us make Sikkim a state of opportunity creators,” Tamang said.
-PTI
