HP startup programme aimed at turning youths into employers: CM

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur Thursday flagged off a "Startup Yatra" saying the state's Startup programme is aimed at turning its educated youths into job providers from job seekers.

Flagging off the 'Startup Yatra' van from his official residence Oak Over, Thakur said the state government would provide all possible helps to youths to develop entrepreneurship under this scheme.

This scheme is a gift of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the youths of the country which envisages various incentives for entrepreneurs to help them succeed in their ventures, he added.

Thakur said this scheme would provide an opportunity to the youths to turn their innovative ideas into reality.

The Yatra will have halts at various educational institutions of Shimla, Solan, Sirmour, Hamirpur, Kangra, Chamba, Kullu and Mandi districts before its culmination at IIT, Mandi on November 30, he added.

This scheme would also provide for creation of incubation centres in the host institutes of the state to create building capacities and develop networking by establishing necessary infrastructure and generating awareness, he added.

IIT Mandi, NIT Hamirpur, Agriculture University, Palampur, Science, Technology and Environment Council, Horticulture University Nauni, Bir Technology Park, HP University, CSIR Palampur and JPUIT Vaknaghat have been selected for having incubation centres, he added.

Thakur said the basic objective of this scheme is to create self-employment and employment, upgrading the skills of entrepreneurs and help them set up their units under professional guidance.

The scheme also aims at help entrepreneurs select viable projects in manufacturing and service sectors and train them to set up startups and run them professionally, he added.

The key focus areas of the scheme will be technology-driven innovation sector, rural infrastructure and facilities, arts, crafts, water and sanitation, renewable energy, health care, clean technology, agriculture, horticulture and related areas, food processing, retail, tourism and hospitality, mobile, IT and bio-technology, he added.

Participating in the state's Startup Yatra programme, the Himachal Pradesh University too would hold a function Friday to mark the occasion.