Address by Governor at the Flagging Off of the Start up India Maharashtra Yatra at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai

Address by Shri CH. Vidyasagar Rao, Governor of Maharashtra at the Flagging Off of the Start up India Maharashtra Yatra at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai at 9 am on Wednesday, 3rd October 2018

Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Suresh Prabhu, Hon’ble Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Shri Vinod Tawde, Minister of Education, Sports and Culture, Shri Aseem Kumar Gupta, Principal Secretary, Skill Development and Enterpreneurship, Vice Chancellors of various universities, captains of industry, all CM Fellows and officials of the Maharashtra Innovation Society, young and budding enterpreneurs, shortlisted incubators, Start Up partners, ladies and gentlemen,

At the outset I welcome all of you to Raj Bhavan.

I am indeed very happy to associate myself with the Start Up India Maharashtra Yatra so thoughtfully conceived and organized by Government of Maharashtra in collaboration with Start Up India Hub and Sungex.

I am happy that the Hon’ble Minister for Commerce and Industry Shri Suresh Prabhu has come especially for this programme despite heavy demands on his time.

I congratulate the Maharashtra State Innovation Society for organizing the Statewide Yatra and boot camps that will identify, groom and incubate the best innovative ideas. I understand that during the next one month, the Yatra will crisscross 14 districts of the State and discover young enterpreneurs with innovative ideas.

Today I want to congratulate Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis for announcing the Maharashtra State Innovative Start Up Policy 2018 which seeks to develop 15 incubators in collaboration with industry and academia and further create 5 lakh employment opportunities.

As Chancellor of 20 universities having 3 million brilliant students with bright ideas, I welcome the Start Up India Maharashtra Yatra wholeheartedly. I believe that the Yatra will give the chance to many young talented university and college students to realize their dream ideas that will eventually benefit the state and the nation. It is my dream to turn every college and every university into a Centre of Excellence generating new ideas and startup ventures.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Under the leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi, the government is taking several steps to promote young entrepreneurs in the country.

The Government realizes that startups are not just confined to big cities. Smaller towns and villages are also emerging as vibrant startup centres. The Maharashtra Start Up Yatra is a journey to discover and nurture talent.

There was a time when startups meant only digital and technology innovation; but now things are changing and we are seeing startups in various other fields, including agriculture. For an agrarian country like India, rural innovations need to be discovered and encouraged, especially in sectors like agriculture, solid waste management, water management etc.

During my visit to an agriculture university in Maharashtra two years ago, I was amazed to see the kind of innovative equipment developed by young innovators of the agriculture university.

Unfortunately, the students didn’t know, how to take their innovation forward. The Start Up Yatra will help realize the dream of such students. I am sure ideas of our young agriculture innovators will transform our agriculture sector in the years to come.

History informs us that until the year 1750 AD, India was among the richest nations of the world accounting for 25 percent of the gross industrial output. This was possible because the people of India combined agriculture with industry and enterprise. The education system thrust upon us by the British made us fit to be job seekers. We need to overhaul the present education system and create a new education system that will encourage the spirit of adventure, innovation and research which is so very crucial to produce enterpreneurs.

Start Up India Maharashtra Yatra is an affirmative step towards creating a confident and resurgent New India.

I have great expectations from the Maharashtra Innovation Society and its collaborating partners. I want the Society to reach out to students, academics, enterpernuers, researchers and other stakeholders and deliver results. The State Government has already shown its willingness to help innovators and start ups.

In my capacity as Chancellor, I will call upon Vice Chancellors of universities to create innovation hubs in their campuses and collaborate with Maharashtra Innovation Society.

I congratulate all the selected incubators and wish you all success in your future endeavours.

Thank you

Jai Hind ! Jai Maharashtra !!