In sync with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s StartUp India initiative, the Maharashtra government has freed the State Innovation Council from its clutches, making it an independent body with the prime objective to make Mumbai and Maharashtra the capital of start-ups. The state cabinet took a decision in this regard on Tuesday.

The council will soon prepare a new perspective plan based on Centre’s Start-up India scheme and would help create entrepreneurship landscape in Maharashtra. The Pune-based council will also have an office in Mumbai and other district headquarters to encourage, support and facilitate innovations in schools and colleges across Maharashtra.

Dr Raghunath Mashelkar would continue to be the co-chairman of the council, with the state chief secretary being the chairman. Secretaries of IT, school education, higher and technical education, industries, IIT-Bombay director, director of Institute of Chemical Technology, and director of IISER, Pune are among the members. Dr Rajendra Jagdale would be the member secretary of the council.

The move is expected to change the entrepreneurship landscape of the state. The government also sees tremendous opportunity for start-ups for developing smart cities in the states. “The council’s focus would be on agriculture, horticulture, infrastructure, swachhta, health, education, water resources, biotechnology and unconventional energy,” said an official.

Maharashtra accounts for the largest share of new companies registered, followed closely by Delhi. Along with West Bengal, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, 65.9 per cent of all registered companies have been opened in these five states.

“Our state is a fast developing one where youths are full of ideas, but they need a powerful ecosystem to convert it into reality. We hope the state innovation council is able to do that,” said a highly placed official of the Industries Department, referring to the immense energy and potential of the entrepreneurs.

The council was set up in 2014 to drive state’s growth in every sphere of development and would play a pivotal role in boosting innovations by way of advising various state departments, encouraging and rewarding youth, academics, research and development centres, MSMEs, industries and agriculture. The council acts as an umbrella advisory board to boost performance and efficiency in every sector.

Source: Daily News & Analysis