Team Herald
PANJIM: With an eye on providing employment, creating new entrepreneurs and stopping the brain drain, the Goa government on Wednesday finally cleared the Goa Start-up Policy 2017.
The State cabinet approved the policy with a target of launching 100 start-ups in a year. The policy is being implemented as part of Goa IT Investment Policy 2015.
Providing details of the policy, Information Technology Minister Rohan Khaunte said the idea is to generate employment in Goa and stop the brain drain. “After this policy our aim is to make Goa one of the most preferred start-up destinations of India, and make it feature in the top 25 start-up destinations in Asia by 2025,” Khaunte said.
“While the government is committed to promoting
entrepreneurs from Goa and generating employment for Goans, the government is equally committed to inviting the best and the brightest entrepreneurial and technology minds from outside Goa in order to build a robust start-up eco system within the State,” he added. He said that the policy has been prepared taking into confidence all stakeholders.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said the policy will give incentives for employment of local youth. “Employment and interest subsidy is direct,” he said.
Giving further details, Khaunte said, the government recognises that education and skill development that is aligned to the requirements of the industry are vital for a robust start-up eco-system.
“Hence the government is committed to continuously improving the Goan education system, and promoting aspects such as Do-It-Yourself, as part of the school curriculum,” Khaunte said.
He said that in order to incentivise promising start-ups to be registered in Goa, the government, on a case-to-case basis, can grant any exemption beyond the scope of the policy, to start-ups operating in the following areas with a special focus on areas such as smart cities, urban management, waste management, renewable energy, education, health care, communication, and entertainment.
“The government, through the committee headed by the Chief Minister shall be the authority in disbursing and deciding the incentives, which will done as per schemes and details rolled out pertaining to every incentive detailed in this policy,” he said.
According to the policy document, a Start-up Promotion Cell will be formed, which would serve as the nodal agency to register/recognise/certify, the start-ups established in the state. Secretary IT will be the convenor of the cell.
“The cell would report to a high-powered start-up promotion committee, comprising the Chief Minister, IT Minister, Chief Secretary, IT Secretary, and Industries Secretary, and four nominated personnel from the industry,” it says adding, “The cell would be headed by a CEO, and dedicated team of professionals.”
Adequate budgetary provision will be made and transferred into the respective fund heads, through which benefits/incentives envisaged under this policy will be disbursed by the cell to applicants/beneficiaries, thereby ensuring continuous availability of funds for the smooth and uninterrupted operationalisation of this policy, the policy document says.
