Daijiworld Media Network - Jaipur
Jaipur, Aug 13: Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday stressed that startup services should not remain confined to major cities and must reach rural and remote areas as well.
She said the Centre and state governments are providing policy and financial support to expand the startup ecosystem across the country. Sitharaman said startups can progress only when they receive the necessary grants and government support, and called upon the youth to work in the right direction to turn innovative ideas into reality and ensure that the wider public benefits from them.
The Union Minister was addressing the Rajasthan Youth Conclave at the Rajasthan International Centre (RIC). She said the Rajasthan government had taken commendable steps to promote startups and provide financial assistance.
Rajasthan, she said, was making a significant contribution to India's innovation ecosystem and the achievements of its startups deserved wider recognition.
Sitharaman noted that after 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the PM Jan Dhan Yojana to promote financial inclusion and ensure that at least one member of every family had access to a bank account. Today, transactions through these accounts are helping people access credit facilities, she said.
During the event, Sitharaman interacted with startup founders from Rajasthan and appreciated ideas aimed at improving citizen services. She also interacted with a woman associated with Rajeevika.
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said the state government was committed to providing every possible opportunity and a conducive environment for Rajasthan's youth to progress, explore new possibilities and realise their aspirations.
He said facilities were being continuously developed to encourage talent, innovation and entrepreneurship among young people.
A Tribal Incubation Centre has been inaugurated in Banswara to connect youth from tribal areas with innovation and entrepreneurship, Sharma said. With this, the number of incubation centres in Rajasthan has reached 10.
The Chief Minister said investment in Rajasthan's startups, which stood at around Rs 250 crore in 2023, had increased to Rs 1,054 crore. Employment opportunities within the startup ecosystem have also risen from 22,000 to more than 49,000, he said.
He said the iStart programme had been expanded across all 33 districts to promote an entrepreneurial and innovative mindset among school students and rural youth.
Under the initiative, 65 iStart Launchpad Nests have been established in selected schools and colleges, with 1.29 lakh students registered. More than 4,000 outreach sessions have been conducted across over 3,000 educational institutions.
Over the past two and a half years, 4,828 new startups have been registered under the Rajasthan Startup Programme, Sharma said.
The Rajasthan Innovation Challenge is encouraging young people and innovators to develop solutions to real-world problems. Grant assistance of up to Rs 7.5 crore is being provided for technology-driven solutions in sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, water conservation, tourism, mining and public services.
The state government is also focusing on emerging sectors of the future economy.
Recognising the potential of animation, visual effects, gaming, comics and extended reality, the AVGC XR Policy has been implemented. Sharma said work was also being undertaken in AI, AVGC XR, gaming and robotics through the Atal Innovation Studio and Accelerator.
An Atal Innovation Studio and Accelerator Hub is being developed in Jaipur, along with regional centres in Bikaner, Bharatpur and Udaipur.
The Chief Minister said the objective was to establish Rajasthan as a leading national and global hub for new, creative and technology-driven sectors, while taking the state's youth to new heights through innovation-driven employment, entrepreneurship and technology.
The Rajasthan AI ML Policy 2026 has also been launched to position the state as a leader in artificial intelligence. The policy is expected to promote innovation, investment, skill development and new employment opportunities in AI and machine learning across Rajasthan.
As part of efforts to prepare Rajasthan's youth and government machinery for future technologies, around 4,000 government officials and employees have received AI training under the Yuva AI for All programme, Sharma said.
Citizens are currently accessing 51 services across 27 e-Mitra categories through WhatsApp, while another 58 services will be made available on the platform in phases.
The Chief Minister further said significant steps were being taken to build skills and expertise in emerging technologies.
The Brahmagupta Centre for Information Technology is operational in Jaipur and houses three Centres of Excellence focused on data analytics, cybersecurity and blockchain.
Sharma emphasised that Rajasthan was making rapid progress in innovation, skill development, AI, digital services and emerging technologies.