MSME- DNC Leh takes entrepreneurship drive to remote Yourgu village in Changthang

80 participants attend first-of-its-kind awareness programme; homestays near Pangong Lake highlighted as livelihood opportunity

LEH: In an outreach initiative aimed at expanding livelihood opportunities in remote areas of Ladakh, the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India, organised an Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme at Yourgu village (Phograng) in the Changthang region, introducing local residents, unemployed youth and women to avenues for self-employment and enterprise creation.

Organised by the MSME Development Nucleus Cell (MSME-DNC), Leh, the one-day programme marked the first time such an entrepreneurship awareness initiative was held by the Ministry in this remote location. Around 80 participants attended the interactive session, showing keen interest in exploring government-supported schemes and business opportunities.

Amit Kumar Tamaria, Joint Director and Head of Office, MSME-DNC Leh, sensitised participants about various schemes and initiatives of the Ministry and the assistance available to aspiring entrepreneurs and existing enterprises. He urged local residents to make maximum use of these schemes and consider entrepreneurship as a sustainable means of livelihood.

Highlighting the area’s tourism potential, Tamaria specifically encouraged residents to explore homestay ventures, considering Yourgu’s proximity to Pangong Lake, a popular tourist destination. Developing locally managed accommodation facilities could provide villagers with an opportunity to benefit from tourism while creating supplementary income and employment within the community.

Vinu Jee Koul, Assistant Director, MSME-DNC Leh, explained the role of entrepreneurship development and the MSME sector in generating employment, encouraging self-employment and supporting economic growth in Ladakh. The programme also featured contributions from Ms Stanzin Dolma, Assistant Handicrafts Training Officer, Leh; Ms Kunzang Dolkar, Field Coordinator, SBI; and Skalzang Dorjey, Block Investigator, District Industries Centre (DIC), Leh, who shared departmental perspectives on promoting livelihood opportunities and self-employment.

The participation of representatives from different departments provided a broader perspective on potential income-generating activities and the support available to local entrepreneurs. The programme sought to encourage participants to identify viable business ideas, understand relevant government schemes and take practical steps towards establishing small enterprises.

For remote communities such as Yourgu, access to information about institutional support and entrepreneurship opportunities can be an important first step towards diversifying household incomes and reducing dependence on limited traditional livelihood sources. Tourism-related services, handicrafts and other locally suited enterprises offer potential avenues for economic activity, subject to market demand, infrastructure and access to finance.

The keen response from participants underlined the interest in exploring such opportunities. The initiative also highlighted the importance of taking awareness programmes directly to remote villages so that geographical isolation does not prevent residents from learning about schemes and support mechanisms available to them.

By extending its outreach to Yourgu, MSME-DNC Leh has brought the entrepreneurship agenda closer to residents of Changthang, with the programme seeking to translate awareness into local enterprise creation, employment generation and wider socio-economic development.