Arunachal CM unveils startup push, announces ‘mini NITI Aayog’ for the state

Guwahati: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday announced a fresh push for entrepreneurship and investment, unveiling plans for an Arunachal Creative Economy (ACE) programme and an expert think tank, the Institute for Transforming Arunachal (ITA), which he described as a “mini NITI Aayog” for the state.

Addressing a programme marking the graduation of Cohort 4 and the launch of Cohort 5 of the Arunachal Pradesh Entrepreneurship Development Program (APEDP), Khandu also announced plans to connect startups with venture capitalists, expand market access and strengthen institutional support for young entrepreneurs.

The programme also saw the virtual inauguration of satellite incubation cells in seven higher education institutions and the signing of memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with five more institutions.

The ACE programme, Khandu said, would help young people turn creative ideas into viable enterprises, while the ITA would bring subject experts together to guide policy in sectors such as agriculture and allied activities and tourism.

He said he was in touch with venture capitalists and would convene a conference where Arunachal-based startups could present their business ideas to prospective investors.

The Chief Minister directed the Planning and Investment Department and the APEDP cell to consult the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) on incentives, including possible income tax-related support, for graduating startups transitioning from proprietorships to private limited companies or limited liability partnerships (LLPs). A policy decision is expected in the coming days.

He also asked the Chief Secretary to organise workshops with experts for APEDP alumni on accessing national and global markets through digital platforms.

The CEO of the Arunachal Pradesh Innovation and Investment Park (APIIP) was directed to expedite its conversion into a Section 8 company, a move Khandu had approved at last year’s programme.

Started in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, APEDP has helped launch more than 150 startups, Khandu said. He noted that Arunachal Pradesh was among the top three states in the National Startup Ranking Framework on the occasion of 10 years of Startup India and was the only state in the Northeast to receive the recognition.

The programme’s intake has been doubled from 50 to 100 startups. Seed funding has also been increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh and from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 8 lakh. Around 100 entrepreneurs in Cohort 5 will undergo nine months of incubation at APIIP, with mentorship from reputed institutions, including IIMs.

Citing the achievements of APEDP alumni, Khandu mentioned Arunachal Ivory and Ornaments, whose 3D-printed replicas of traditional animal headgear featured in the Prime Minister’s 113th Mann Ki Baat and earned a Rs 10 lakh grant under the AIC-SMUTBI Digi Sapne Program.

Other success stories included KT Marketing of Ziro, winner of the Bharat Entrepreneur Award 2025; Popil Tunes, selected for the STPI Octane Program 2025 under MeitY; House of Macnok of Pasighat, chosen for a Global Entrepreneurship Consulting Project with the University of Oklahoma, USA; CK Bliss Health & Rhythm, recipient of the Governor’s Appreciation Letter; and Mete Foods and Slot Allot, named in the NEC’s top 50 incubation list.

The seven institutions where satellite incubation cells were inaugurated virtually were Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh University (Pasighat), Arunachal University of Studies (Namsai), NIT Jote, NEDIS Nirjuli, Dera Natung Government College (Itanagar) and Dorjee Khandu Government College (Tawang). They had signed MoUs last year.

The five new institutions brought under the initiative are Donyi Polo Government College, Kamki; Government College, Bomdila; Indira Gandhi Government College, Tezu; Government Model College, Seppa; and St. Claret College, Ziro.

Khandu also launched the YES (Youth Empowerment Sphere) Arunachal portal on APIIP, providing a single window for Central and state government schemes. He urged young people to participate in the National Innovation Challenge under Sewa Sankalp Abhiyan and thanked NITI Aayog for establishing Atal Tinkering Labs in schools across the state.

Encouraging entrepreneurs to explore the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector, he said banking networks could help them access capital and, where required, land. He noted that MSMEs contribute around 31 per cent of India’s GDP and 45 per cent of its exports.

He also referred to the Central Government’s UNNATI scheme for the Northeast and the state’s Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Swavalamban Yojana, Chief Minister Paryatan Vikas Yojana and Atmanirbhar scheme for agriculture, horticulture and fisheries.

On investment prospects, Khandu said hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 19,000 MW were at various stages of work. Five mineral blocks, including graphite and vanadium, had been auctioned in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Coal and Mines. More blocks are expected to follow, while rare earth deposits are also to be explored.

He said these developments could help Arunachal Pradesh move from a deficit to a surplus budget, freeing up more resources for public welfare.

Under the Rising North East Investment Summit, five investments worth Rs 809 crore have been grounded, while promised investments worth Rs 7,941 crore are being pursued. Khandu appealed to local communities to support investors and help make the state an investor-friendly destination.

Crediting women-led development and the self-help group movement for the state’s progress, he said around 1.5 lakh women were actively involved in the movement. He called for a strong rural economy as the foundation of a Viksit Arunachal by 2047.

Khandu urged young entrepreneurs to familiarise themselves with government policies, company law, the Arunachal Pradesh State Industrial and Investment Policy and the new labour laws.

Identifying bookkeeping as a weak area among local entrepreneurs, he advised businesses to engage chartered accountants, maintain annual balance sheets and file income tax returns even when no tax was payable.

He also called on entrepreneurs to build on the state’s 20 Geographical Indication (GI) tags through value addition and digital marketing.

Congratulating Cohort 4 graduates and wishing Cohort 5 success, Khandu assured entrepreneurs that his doors remained open.

He acknowledged the contributions of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, the Commissioner, CEO Tabe Haider and the APIIP team, and said the state’s efforts were aligned with the vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas towards a Viksit Bharat.