Raman Singh encourages youth to convert ideas into commercial products

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Sunday said that the state government is committed to make 'Start-up Chhattisgarh' a grand success and encouraged the youth to convert their ideas into commercial products.

He expressed these views while speaking at the felicitation function of the Start-Ups selected under 1st phase of Start-up Chhattisgarh Grand Challenge.

"The Government is committed to make 'Start-up Chhattisgarh' a grand success in the State and would extend full support to develop the enabling ecosystem for Start-ups in the State," Raman Singh said.

"The youth should fearlessly convert their ideas into commercial products," he added.

Tracing back his journey as the Chief Minister, Singh discussed how he had to resort to innovations to attain the aspirations of citizens of the State.

He also congratulated Department of Industries and CHiPS for their continuous efforts for promoting Startups and expressed his gratitude for Google for partnering with the State as Trusted Partner.

Singh said that he believes that the initiative can provide wings to a lot of young talented people for becoming tomorrow's entrepreneurial leaders.

Other dignitaries present on this occasion were Chhattisgarh Industries Minister Amar Agrawal, Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand, Additional Chief Secretary N. Baijendra Kumar, Principal Secretary, IT Aman Singh and Chairman, CSIDC, Chhagan Lal Mundra.

Boosting the moral of Startup winners, Industries Minister Agrawal said that the zeal of entrepreneurship will take the State forward in its journey towards social and economic development.

He said that India is living in the era of Startups and these Startups are future of Chhattisgarh.

"For any business to progress, skilled employees are the key and hence lot of efforts are being made by the Government to enhance skills of youth of the State," Agrawal said.

Chief Secretary, Vivek Dhand said that an emerging need of startups is to provide new technology and innovation.

"Chhattisgarh has a huge potential to promote Startup ecosystem and State is committed towards promoting Startups with their policy and support," Dhand said.

Alex Paul Menon, CEO, CHiPS during his presentation showcased the journey of Startup and 36 Inc. and also highlighted about special package for Startups.

The 'Felicitation & Recognition of Start-ups selected under 1st phase of Start-up Chhattisgarh Grand Challenge, conducted under the aegis of Start-up Chhattisgarh Programme of Department of Commerce and Industries and Inauguration of 36 Inc. - State's incubator sanctioned under Atal Innovation Mission' was organized by the Chhattisgarh's Department of Commerce & Industries.

Chhattisgarh Government has been a flag bearer in implementing programmes and schemes to reach the growing population of the State, through various verticals.

Chhattisgarh Government launched Start-up Chhattisgarh Action Plan for promoting start-ups in the State, which was released by the Chief Minister last year along with the roll-out of the Start-up Chhattisgarh Programme.

This initiative was initiated to strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Start-up India which aims at fostering entrepreneurship and promoting innovation by creating an ecosystem that is conducive for growth of startups.

Under the 1st phase of the "Start-up Chhattisgarh Grand Challenge" programme, boot camps were conducted across all 27 districts of the State. The boot camps were used as a platform for youth and entrepreneurs to submit their ideas and the best out of them were selected in the first phase, for incubation.

A total of 3,858 ideas were submitted out of which 36 have been selected by the screening committee formed under the Department of Commerce & Industry.

Singh felicitated 36 Start-ups during the event.

The Chief Minister also inaugurated "36inc.", State's only incubator sanctioned under Atal Innovation Mission.

The incubator has been established under Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion Society (CHiPS) and will currently operate from Raipur's Udyog Bhawan. The incubatees will be mentored and provided support by the incubator in developing their business plan, building a prototype, market testing of the product/service and funding.

People from different walks of life attended this Startup event. While some entrepreneurs were professionals who had given up their jobs to fulfill their dream, others were students who had just passed out of college. Startups which participated in the exhibition had a wide array of services/products such as healthcare, home services, e-commerce and sensor based technologies.