Not cancelling Goa StartUp 20 event despite Odisha tragedy out of respect for delegates' time, says Goyal

Union Minister Piyush Goyal said he had thought of cancelling the third meeting of the Startup20 Engagement Group, part of India's G20 presidency, scheduled to begin in Goa on Saturday in view of the horrific train accident in Odisha but refrained from doing so out of respect for the delegates' time.

More than 250 persons died and nearly 1,000 passengers were injured after a three-train derailment-collision tragedy in Balasore in Odisha on Friday evening.

Speaking at the inaugural function of the StartUp 20 event, which will take place over two days and culminate on Sunday, Goyal offered condolence to those killed and injured in the Odisha accident.

"I had thought of cancelling today's engagement but I thought since we have 200 delegates from more than 15 countries it would be respectful to your time, your efforts to continue with the engagements," Goyal said.

Startup20 serves as a prime opportunity to foster collaboration, exchange ideas, and shape the future of start ups and entrepreneurship on a global scale, with the main aim of the meeting being to form consensus on the start up Draft Policy Communique.

The Goa Sankalpana event will look at how the start up eco systems from different countries can be integrated, Goyal said.

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