AAP chalks out plans to make Delhi a startup hub

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi Cabinet will take charge on Saturday

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), one of the most successful start-ups in Indian politics, is set to deliver its promise of making Delhi a “start-up hub”.

“The idea is to give space to innovative business ideas in the national capital and we will build 10,000 sqft space to encourage new businesses. Our government will be pro-business but we are also clear, we won’t tolerate crony capitalism,” AAP MLA Adarsh Shastri told Business Standard.

The party is studying the model of the IT complex in Trivandrum, Kerala, Shastri said. “The Delhi government will provide basic facilities such as high-speed internet and space to operate,” Shastri said. The start-up companies will make a presentation to specialists hired by the Delhi government before getting space.

The Delhi government might also take help from private companies in this.

Further, the party sources said it is already in talks with information technology (IT) firms such as Facebook, networking vendors such as Aruba Network and telecom companies such as Vodafone to fulfill its promise of offering free wi-fi facilities to Delhi citizens.

Sources said the Delhi government will set up wi-fi facilities at an estimated cost of Rs 200 crore. The party plans to provide wi-fi available at public places, streets and office complexes. “We had already held several rounds of discussion with various service providers, while we had framed our manifesto. We will start the process of tendering once we assume charge and will deploy this facility in phases,” Shastri said. Once the contract is awarded, it will take six months for its implementation, he added. The AAP government will either put a 30-minute time window for accessing the internet facilities or put a cap on the data usage.