Arvind Kejriwal lays out plans of his govt to make Delhi global startup hub

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday laid out plans of his government to make Delhi a global startup hub through collateral free loans, world class infrastructure and best quality human capital.

Addressing Indus Entrepreneurs (Tie) Global Summit, he said there are over 7,000 startups in Delhi which makes the city having the highest number of active startups in the country, with an estimated valuation of about USD 50 billion.

"The Delhi government is at an advanced stage of rolling out a start-up policy.As part of the startup policy, we plan to provide collateral-free loans and set up a dedicated helpline for startups to address their concerns and help them use the government's doorstep service," Arvind Kejriwal said.

The Delhi government is taking "unprecedented" short and long-term steps to ensure startups have access to the best quality human capital in Delhi itself through Entrepreneurship Mindset Curriculum(EMC) in schools and Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University, Kejriwal said.

"We are committed to taking as much as it takes to make Delhi a global startup hub," asserted Arvind Kejriwal.

Arvind Kejriwal said that the Delhi government is committed to ensure that businesses bounce back strongly from the impact of COVID-19.

"Delhi's economy also has been badly hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many businesses are struggling to stay afloat and many people have lost their jobs. We want to create all the necessary conditions for businesses, and especially, startups to flourish.

He said between January and June this year, 109 startups were founded in Delhi-NCR, the highest number of startups being founded in the first six months of 2020 in India.

"The report states that Delhi-NCR is set to become one of the top five global startup hubs with 12,000 startups and 30 unicorns. Their cumulative valuation will be about 150 billion dollars by 2025," Kejriwal said.

Of course, it is not a given and that is why the Delhi government is committed to taking all necessary actions to ensure Delhi becomes a preferred destination for start-ups globally.

"First and foremost, what all startups need is a good infrastructure. The Delhi government is committed to providing world-class infrastructure and services for startups and businesses in Delhi. This includes, power supply, roads, public transport, water supply, education, and health infrastructure," he added.

The chief minister detailed achievements of his government in strengthening water and power supply and plans and ongoing transport and road development projects.

The Delhi government is also setting up a high-tech business park at Rani Khera in 150-acres land. This will just be 15 minutes away from the Delhi International Airport, he said.

"The first phase of the work will be completed by August 31, 2022. In the first phase, a multistoried building of 15 lakh square feet would be built," Kejriwal said.

"In order to help startups grow, we will form a range of networks with incubators, co-working spaces, and fabrication labs. These networks will leverage the provisions of existing stakeholders in the market. We will also enable easy access to experts who can aid startups with accounting, taxation, registration, legal help, digital marketing, and other such services," he said.

The Delhi government will align its public procurement in a manner that a fixed percentage of all goods and services are procured through recognised startups, Kejriwal said.

The Education department is in the process of engaging close to 17,000 entrepreneurs for classroom interactions with students on EMC. For best quality of human resources, Delhi Skills and Entrepreneurship University to upskill students and ready future-entrepreneurs of the country, he said.

The university's first academic session is expected to start next year and it will have the capacity of enrolling at least 1,25,000 students in different courses.

The Delhi government will also set up world-class skill centres to provide skill-based training and degrees. It will also cater to the students by identifying future-centric jobs, he added.

The story has been taken from a news agency