In a conversation a few months ago, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan sought commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s help in collecting used oil at an industrial scale, which can be recycled and put to use again.
The trend of recycling used oil from restaurants and homes that can be recycled to derive biofuels is becoming quite popular in countries such as the UK. ‘Help me find a startup that can do this in India,’ he told Sitharaman, whose ministry administers the government’s Start-up India, Stand up India programme.
The chance conversation between Sitharaman and Pradhan has led the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) to don the hat of a matchmaker between government’s various ministries and startups, where it will handhold startups and bring them in touch with the government.
Many arms of the government are scouting for innovative ideas to address their unique problems while there are many startups which have these solutions but are either unaware of their requirement or don’t have access to the government.
“The idea is to act as a facilitator between the two,” said a government official familiar with the plans. “It can aid in solving critical problems of the government,” added the person. The decision was taken at a recent review meeting of the Start-up India project, and DIPP is now working out the modalities to take it forward. Sitharaman herself is learnt to have asked the DIPP to tap into the booming startup ecosystem to find innovative solutions for on ground problems being faced by various government departments.
The concept will be put to use first during the startup national fest being organised in August in Hyderabad where a contest termed the Grand Challenge will be thrown open to startups. The DIPP is soon going to write to various ministries to share problems that can be addressed through the wide network of startups in the country.
Problems of social and environmental nature such as water conservation etc can be posed in front of startups and they would be given a few months’ time to come back with an innovative solution. “We are still finalising how this exercise will finally be put to some use,” another senior government official said. Interministerial discussions will soon be to devise a strategy in this regard, added the person.
The mandate of acting as a facilitator has been given to the joint secretary in charge of the Start-up India project in DIPP and the details are currently in the process of formulation, said the first official quoted above.
DIPP is designing a learning module to educate startups in areas, including incorporation of a company, business models, etc.
Source: The Economic Times
Image Courtesy: The Economic Times
