Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Monday said that India's North Eastern Region (NER) has untapped potential for start-ups, according to a press release issued by the ministry of science and technology.
Singh, speaking as the Chief Guest at the two-day "International Conference on Start-Ups, Sustainability, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship in North East India" organised by the North East Regional Research And Resource Centre Miranda House, said that the northeast is inherently an innovative region.
Women have always been at the forefront of the startup culture in the northeast, playing a prominent role in the startup ecosystem since it was institutionalised by the government led by prime minister Narendra Modi, he said.
The minister said that the government has always prioritised the northeast, startups, and women. Previous governments ignored the region, but PM Modi's government has brought it up to speed with the rest of the country.
Singh said that because of the prime minister's impetus, which began with his call for "StartUp India StandUp India" from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day, the number of start-ups in India has grown to over 90,000 from 300 to 400 in the eight years from 2014 to 2022, and there are more than 100 unicorns.
He added: "36 of the 100 unicorns in India are female founders or co-founders. women's roles have shifted from participation to leadership," as per the statement.
According to the Minister, India's startup ecosystem is ranked third in the world. India is one of the most startup-friendly countries in the world, ranking among the top 50 countries in the Global Innovation Index (GII) (leading in Asia).
Dr Jitendra Singh stated that stakeholders in the start-up ecosystem, including incubators, accelerators, and other venture funds, have recently emerged in the NER, resulting in a huge number of start-ups.
The minister said: "The Government has taken various important initiatives for the development of the region since 2014-15 and improved connectivity thereby accelerating the development of the region. Non-exempted Central Ministries/Departments must spend at least 10% of their GBS on Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes in NER."
Dr Jitendra Singh emphasised that PM Modi began reforming the northeast in 2014. He bridged the gap between the Northeast and Delhi between then and now. Nobody used to pay attention to the indigenous cultures and languages of the northeast, but he did.
The Minister stated that the North East, the Himalayan area, and ocean-based resources will have the most prospects during the next 25 years of the 'Amrit Kaal'. "In the conference, we have many of the young women entrepreneurs coming and presenting their ideas and experiences. Miranda being a women’s college is leading the way. Bridging the gap is the goal. We in the government are always present to give a boost to these women entrepreneurs," the statement said.