Shillong, June 17: Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar on Tuesday outlined the state’s blended funding ecosystem anchored by the flagship PRIME initiative during the North East India Infrastructure Summit and Exhibition 2026.

Speaking on the final day of the summit, Dhar chaired a session titled “UNNATI & Beyond Industries and Innovative Funding of MSMEs & Startups in the North East Region,” where he emphasized the progress of the UNNATI programme. The initiative has an estimated investment potential of around Rs 653 crore across sectors including tourism, healthcare, and food processing.

He also stated that the PRIME initiative has supported over 493 entrepreneurs, facilitated disbursement of more than Rs 30 crore, and helped register over 1,500 startups in the state.

The session also discussed Meghalaya’s performance under the Business Reforms Action Plan (BRAP) 2024, where the state has emerged as one of the top performers, along with strategies to improve access to finance for MSMEs and startups.