Latest news with #SOAR
Hans India
24-05-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Northeast is new epicentre of India's development journey: Jayant Chaudhary
New Delhi: The northeastern region is no longer on the periphery of India but is the new epicentre of India's development journey, Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said on Saturday. Speaking at the 'Rising Northeast Investors Summit 2025' here, the minister said that from Mizoram achieving 100 per cent literacy rates to the entrepreneurial spirit of its youth, the region exemplifies resilience and community strength. 'As we celebrate this transformation, we must nurture risk-taking, skill development, and ecosystem support to unlock its potential,' he told the gathering. Mentioning the 'Skilling for AI Readiness' (SOAR) programme, which the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship is currently developing in collaboration with Ministry of Education and NCVET, he added, 'The future lies in AI, and India must lead by building indigenous models and preparing our youth for an AI-driven world'. 'Through 'Skilling for AI Readiness', we plan to equip students with tools to innovate ethically using AI. The collective spirit of the Northeast, paired with national support, is a beacon of progress. We must harness this energy, break old mindsets, and build a future where every young mind from Arunachal to Assam shapes India's global narrative," Chaudhary added. The northeastern region is witnessing rapid growth and is on track to become one of the country's major economic hubs. 'From the tea gardens of Assam to digital creators in Shillong, the Northeast is not waiting for change — it is architecting it. And it is time the rest of India, and the world, invests in that spirit,' said the minister. On the sidelines of the summit, a dedicated 'Udyamita se Atmanirbhar Pavilion' set up by MSDE, showcased the entrepreneurial spirit of the northeast, featuring eight dynamic entrepreneurs trained by the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE). The efforts of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in the northeastern region have empowered more than 49,000 youth with apprenticeship opportunities and entrepreneurship support to more than 3 lakhs through EAP and EDP programmes, since 2015.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Michigan House subcommittee interrogates economic development deals as companies fail to deliver
Rep. Steve Carra (R-Three Rivers), chair of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Corporate Subsidies and State Investments on May 21, 2025 | Kyle Davidson As Michigan Republicans continue to take a magnifying glass to economic development spending, the House Oversight Subcommittee on Corporate Subsidies and State Investments invited James Hohman of the free-market Mackinac Center for Public Policy to offer his analysis of the state's Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve (SOAR) Fund. Hohman, who serves as the Mackinac Center's director of Fiscal Policy, walked committee members through a collection of several projects through the state's critical industries program, comparing the number of jobs promised with the jobs delivered. As he broke down each agreement, Hohman repeatedly noted that these deals were structured to deliver short-term payoffs for companies, and were not tied to job creation, with many deals tying the bulk of their funding requirements to a company's capital expenditures, or money a company spends to buy, maintain or improve their assets. Additionally, not all deals move forward, with Hohman pointing to a $100.8 million dollar deal with Ford made in 2022 as an example. Hohman urged lawmakers and members of the public to bring more skepticism to these deals, noting they often fail to deliver on their promises. 'There's a massive difference between what gets announced and what actually happens when it comes to living up to expectations,' Hohman said. 'A lot of them wind up with no jobs at all. Some of them do meet [or] exceed expectations, but when you look at the rhetoric behind the deals, when they're getting made, there's rarely even an acknowledgement that deals might not deliver on their pledges,' Hohman said. If companies fail to create the jobs they promised, the state has to wait years before it can ask for its money back, Hohman said. If they eliminate jobs after the deal concludes, the state has no way of getting its money back, he said. Additionally when asked about the level of transparency offered into these deals, Hohman said they were meeting the minimum standard of transparency, publishing an annual report on how much money was offered, how much the company received and whether they created the jobs that were announced. However, the report's schedule leaves the status of most current projects unknown, while sometimes forcing people to wait 18 months to learn an agreement didn't move forward. Overall the state has allocated $1.46 billion in taxpayer funds to create 14,779 jobs, Hohman said. While lawmakers clearly had ambitious plans for the program, those goals have not panned out, he said. And while the companies receiving this funding will likely create jobs to fill the buildings they've built using state funding, the number of jobs they create will depend on an uncertain future, Hohman said. 'My major takeaway for you is that if you're going to continue operating the critical industry program, more of the deal needs to be based on actual job creation. When you have deals that consistently fall apart, that fail to deliver, you should not be paying them until they finally do the things they're obligated or that lawmakers expect them to do,' Hohman said. This would not require a change to the law, Hohman said, only a change in expectations for lawmakers, asking them not to approve projects based on capital expenditures rather than job creation. While there are a number of areas where the Mackinac Center believes these dollars could better benefit residents, Hohman offered his support for House Republicans' road funding plan, which draws the bulk of its funding by reallocating or eliminating funding set aside for economic development, including $500 million set for automatic deposits into the SOAR fund. Despite the issues with the program, State Rep. Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia) raised repeated concerns about ensuring criticism of the program was accurate. While some press releases may be disingenuous in promising to deliver jobs, SOAR funding that is allocated for site readiness should not be expected to create jobs. 'You can't put 2,000 jobs in a site that is not ready for 2,000 jobs,' Pohutsky said. While the SOAR program is not the best use of the state's money, there are enough flaws that are not based around promises made in press releases, she said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
City to host 2 workshops to help shape SOAR Bakersfield
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The city of Bakersfield is set to host two workshops to receive the community's input on the future of Sustainable Opportunities Promoting Resiliency (SOAR) Bakersfield. According to officials, one workshop will be in person and the other one will be virtual. At the workshops community members are invited to know the plan progress, explore possible strategies, share ideas to help define priorities that reflect the community's needs and interact with staff and community. The in person workshop is scheduled June 17 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Potato Room at the Dignity Health Arena, according to organizers. The virtual workshop is scheduled for June 24 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. To register, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Travel + Leisure
19-05-2025
- Business
- Travel + Leisure
This Southern City Is the Most Welcoming Community in the U.S., Report Finds
About 8.2 million Americans moved between states in 2022, and as census data shows, that number is only going up year after year. If you're one of the millions looking to pack up all your stuff and move to a brand-new state in 2025, MakeMyMove has a few places for you to consider. In April, MakeMyMove, an online relocation marketplace for recruiting remote workers, released its list of the most welcoming places in the U.S. It noted in its findings that "these cities and regions have gone beyond traditional growth strategies to successfully attract and integrate new residents, proving that a thoughtful, hands-on approach can reshape a community's future." It added that it selected these destinations for their "innovative approaches to population growth," including via initiatives like Columbus 2025, a project aimed at increasing "prosperity, reducing poverty, and improve overall quality of life for a stronger and more vibrant region for decades to come," and the Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) program, whose mission is "to solve the deep-seated issue of population retention and growth in Eastern Kentucky." After reviewing all the programs and efforts, it named Columbus, Georgia, a city tucked along the Western border of the state, as the No. 1 pick, thanks to its "precision in people-matching." "Columbus is strategically growing its population, with a community talent strategy aiming for a 4 percent increase by 2026," the findings stated. "Their matchmaking approach thoughtfully selects movers who will relocate for the long term. The Columbus team doesn't just recruit remote workers—they connect them with local leaders and community opportunities to ensure they stay." Coming in second is Eastern Kentucky, which earned a top spot thanks to its neighborly care. "What distinguishes it? A deeply rooted culture of hospitality, where residents personally welcome newcomers—sometimes with home-cooked meals, assistance with moving or even a ride to town," it stated. And rounding out the top three is Noblesville, Indiana, known for its "concierge-level" community integration. It added, "The city's hands-on approach ensures that newcomers feel like part of the community from day one." "These communities understand that relocation isn't just about moving boxes—it's about building a life," Evan Hock, the co-founder and COO of MakeMyMove, shared. "The leaders behind these programs are creating real human connections, removing barriers for newcomers, and proving that a welcoming community is the best incentive of all." Want to find even more welcoming communities? See the full list and what makes each destination special enough to call "home" at
Travel + Leisure
12-05-2025
- Business
- Travel + Leisure
These Are the Most Welcoming Communities in the U.S.—and No. 1 Is a Southern Gem
About 8.2 million Americans moved between states in 2022, and as census data shows, that number is only going up year after year. If you're one of the millions looking to pack up all your stuff and move to a brand-new state in 2025, MakeMyMove has a few places for you to consider. In April, MakeMyMove, an online relocation marketplace for recruiting remote workers, released its list of the most welcoming places in the U.S. It noted in its findings that "these cities and regions have gone beyond traditional growth strategies to successfully attract and integrate new residents, proving that a thoughtful, hands-on approach can reshape a community's future." It added that it selected these destinations for their "innovative approaches to population growth," including via initiatives like Columbus 2025, a project aimed at increasing "prosperity, reducing poverty, and improve overall quality of life for a stronger and more vibrant region for decades to come," and the Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) program, whose mission is "to solve the deep-seated issue of population retention and growth in Eastern Kentucky." After reviewing all the programs and efforts, it named Columbus, Georgia, a city tucked along the Western border of the state, as the No. 1 pick, thanks to its "precision in people-matching." "Columbus is strategically growing its population, with a community talent strategy aiming for a 4 percent increase by 2026," the findings stated. "Their matchmaking approach thoughtfully selects movers who will relocate for the long term. The Columbus team doesn't just recruit remote workers—they connect them with local leaders and community opportunities to ensure they stay." Coming in second is Eastern Kentucky, which earned a top spot thanks to its neighborly care. "What distinguishes it? A deeply rooted culture of hospitality, where residents personally welcome newcomers—sometimes with home-cooked meals, assistance with moving or even a ride to town," it stated. And rounding out the top three is Noblesville, Indiana, known for its "concierge-level" community integration. It added, "The city's hands-on approach ensures that newcomers feel like part of the community from day one." "These communities understand that relocation isn't just about moving boxes—it's about building a life," Evan Hock, the co-founder and COO of MakeMyMove, shared. "The leaders behind these programs are creating real human connections, removing barriers for newcomers, and proving that a welcoming community is the best incentive of all." Want to find even more welcoming communities? See the full list and what makes each destination special enough to call "home" at
