The State Government will strive to promote entrepreneurship among youth, Minister for Medium and Heavy Industry Murugesh Nirani said in Belagavi on Friday.
Apart from access to easy loans, the State Government will ensure that aspiring industrialists get subsidised land. The State Government will work with trade bodies and academia to ensure that young entrepreneurs get mentoring support from industry veterans. The State Government will provide guidance to students who have completed ITI, engineering, MBA and other professional courses.
He was speaking after inaugurating Udyami Aagu, Udyoga Needu [Be an Entrepreneur, Become an Employer] Trade Fair in Visvesvaraya Technological University. The programme, aimed at creating awareness among youth about setting up industries and businesses, has become a significant success with over 11,000 students participating in offline and online mode.
Among the schemes planned are short-term training programmes. “We will organise one-week-to-one-month training sessions in multiple sectors to students who register for the entrepreneurship programme, he said.
He said that special steps are being taken to promote entrepreneurship among the poor and deprived communities.
The scheme to provide subsidised land to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes entrepreneurs will be extended to economically weaker sections. Those from economically weaker groups will get benefits such as 75% subsidy on land up to two acres.
The Minister interacted with the students and urged them to start their own enterprises, become self-reliant and create numerous opportunities for themselves and others.
He referred to entrepreneurs Arvind Mellageri of Aequs and Vidya Murukumbi of Shree Renuka Sugars who initially worked hard to establish their industries and have now become renowned business leaders.
The programme was organised by the Department of Industries and Commerce, State Government, at the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Auditorium at VTU. Students from 125 colleges in Belagavi and its revenue region districts — Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Haveri, Jamkhandi and Gadag, participated in the programme through video conferencing.
The day-long programme aimed at providing a platform for technical students, youngsters to directly interact with successful entrepreneurs and industry experts to gain knowledge and learn about the various schemes and programmes of the State Government. The event also hosted motivational sessions for students. An earlier edition of the event was held in Kalaburagi.
Member of Parliament Eranna Kadadi, Member of Legislative Assembly Abhay Patil, RSS leader Raghavendra Kagawad, Chairman of the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation Muktar Hussain Pathan, Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Commerce, and Industries, Department of Electronics Information Technology Biotechnology, Science & Technology E. V. Ramana Reddy, Commissioner for Industrial Development and Director of Industries and Commerce of Karnataka Gunjan Krishna, KIADB CEO N. Shivshankar, Deputy Commissioner M.G. Hiremath, Mr, Melligeri and Ms. Murukumbi, VTU Vice-Chancellor Karisiddappa and others were present.
