What should admn include in Draft Startup Policy for young innovators?

It is a good initiative for young entrepreneurs, who can become a source of inspiration for others. The administration must focus on protection of environment and boosting solar energy usage under the startup programme. This will help transform city beautiful into an eco-city. Solar energy is used in a lot of innovations such as solar cookers, solar hot plates and electric charging points. The existing bike sharing programme can also be included under the programme. Solar panels should be installed on these bike for sharing locations to make them user-friendly, especially during night. Other important field that needs to be focused on is making paper, cloth and bio-degradable bags to replace polythene and plastic bags. Eco-friendly activities should be promoted under the programme.

Capt Amar Jeet (retd), Kharar

QUESTION

What steps should the UT administration take to ensure that the patients visiting government hospitals get prescribed medicines at affordable prices from various chemist stores and not just selected ones?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to [email protected]

Entrepreneurs must be given required infra

After thorough scrutiny of the proposals submitted by promising youngsters for new startups in Chandigarh, and recommendatory reports from professionals, the shortlisted young innovators must get full encouragement from the UT administration by clearing their proposals speedily. All out efforts will be needed to make industrial plots/sheds available to these novice entrepreneurs with the required infrastructure, so as to go ahead with their ambitious projects. With the sound backing of the UT administration, interest-free loans from banks could be arranged, which may be returnable after longer durations. Such a special gesture will go a long way for such young dreamers to prove themselves as successful industrialists not only for the UT but also the country.

SC Luthra, Chandigarh

Qualified youth should be given priority

The startup policy for entrepreneurs is a novel idea. It is a great step and we all should welcome it with open arms. It is certainly going to give a good impetus to the industrial sector. The administration should give priority to unemployed well-qualified educated individuals. The financed projects should cover the cost of lease money paid for the land and the equipment or the rent be paid, as the case may be. It is always better to rent a plant, machinery, land and a building instead of purchasing the same. The projects under ‘Go-green’ should be given preference.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

Promote participation by women innovators

The Chandigarh administration unveiled a Draft Startup Policy, which will benefit thousands of young minds. Promoting participation of women in manufacturing industry needs to be focused on. With inclusion of these steps, the economy of the nation will get a big boost as these will help cut expenditure on imports. The administration should encourage the residents and to provide young entrepreneurs with loan on easy terms. The administration should also keep a watch on the beneficiaries that they utilise the amount as per the agreement.

MR Bhateja, NayaGaon

Hold discussions on burning issues

It is a wonderful initiative of the administration to give a platform to the young innovators to express their views. The authorities should also hold discussions on burning topics so that they can get an opportunity to showcase their talent. They should also share their good and bad experiences when at last they get success of their satisfaction. If they are born and brought up in Chandigarh, they can share their journey from their childhood to their present stage.

Sukhwant Bhullar, NayaGaon

Make startup ecosystem inclusive in UT

A startup portal (website) has been created and it is a one-stop platform for young innovators and ecosystem stakeholders, containing genuine information and fruitful resources. The policy will act as a bridge between startups and incubation centres as dedicated entrepreneurship centre for women is envisaged as a hub for aspiring and seasoned women entrepreneurs. Actually it will prepare the startups to grow as per the parametres laid down in the policy. Ultimately, the UT administration and industry will work together in developing a startup ecosystem in Chandigarh.

Anita K Tandon, Mundi Kharar

Facilitate initiatives for women entrepreneurs

To encourage startups, the Chandigarh administration has finally unveiled its Draft Startup Policy. It will set up a dedicated startup fund for the city’s ecosystem. The administration should facilitate various initiatives for women entrepreneurs to make the startup ecosystem inclusive. At least 33 per cent of the seed fund interest-free loan proposed in this policy should be dedicated to women-led startups. The administration must partner with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to set up state-of-the-art incubators or upgrade existing ones. The administration should encourage incubators that identify and promote industries keeping in mind the strengths and limitations of the city. The administration should also encourage co-working facilities offering rental seats for startups and innovators on a pay-per-use basis. Startups should be able to access features such as high-speed Internet, power backup secured access, round the clock security with CCTV surveillance, etc. The UT should also focus on bringing about targeted changes in the education system while ensuring that certain skills such as do it yourself, coding, interface design, etc. can be imparted to the students studying at the primary and secondary school level.

Sanjay Chopra, MOHALI

Exit option under the Bankruptcy Act

The UT’s initiative of unveiling startup innovation schemes will facilitate modern professional youths to enter into self-styled entrepreneurship. It will help promote entrepreneurship amongst qualified youths by encouraging innovations and out of the box ideas for the overall development of the country. To tackle the problem of growing unemployment, a one window system with ultra-modern infrastructure and finances is the need of the hour. The administration must also not deny help to freshers. Experts’ guidance and counselling must come free for the beneficiaries. Subsidies should be announced by the Centre and state governments for all, especially for the units that are proposed to be opened in backward areas. Moreover, an exit option under the Bankruptcy Act should also be made available as a safety valve for the startups, under which anyone can close down within 90 days of the launch of the startup enterprise.

Kundan Lal Sharma , Mohali

Give tax exemptions, tax-free holidays

Though the startup policy is a good initiative for the youngsters to demonstrate their creative skills, the administration has to make it sure that only the genuine one gets the proper monetary help. Also, the wards of the so called big business men should not be given any monetary help. The startups should be given tax exemptions and tax-free holidays. The administration must take weekly/fortnightly feedback from the young entrepreneurs and also guide them. Those not performing well should be shown the door. Last but not the least, the officials of the administration can also help young minds by guiding them to venture into specific fields, which will pay them a better return in the long run.

Savita Kuthiala

Better opportunities for young innovators

The Chandigarh administration has unveiled its Draft Startup Policy. The startup policy should be young-innovators friendly. There should be relaxed norms for procurement. There should be better opportunities for young innovators to work. All terms and conditions of the startup policy should be reasonable and flexible.

Aman Sood, Amloh

Easy Loans should be made available

The government should provide freehold land to entrepreneurs for startups. To motivate young entrepreneurs, loans should be made available. Land should be given in easy installments. Co-working space should be encouraged as it is much in demand and saves money and keeps at bay the headache of maintaining office and managing the staff. Co-working space helps accumulate more startups in less space.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

Take help of university professors, experts

The new draft policy is quite attractive and is a positive step for young entrepreneurs. The administration should take help of university professors and higher managements with industrial experience, which will help youngsters grow. More youths should be inspired to participate in the draft policy and give their ideas so that further grant and support is released to them on priority. Women, working in the sector, should be ensured support and finances for developing their skill under the new policy.

Avinash goyal, Chandigarh

Host startup workshops for entrepreneurs

The draft policy will help creating an enabling environment for innovators to flourish. The policy aims to encourage startups to grow through innovations and design and create a technology and venture ecosystem for youth to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. The government aims to identify and encourage co-working facilities by offering seats on rent and access to facilities such as high-speed Internet, power back up, security, providing space at subsidised rental rate etc. Authorities should host startup workshops assisting budding entrepreneurs so that they may pitch their ideas to leading incubators and investors. Helping new entrepreneurs in participating in international events and providing them relevant exposure and knowledge exchange programme should the focus of the administration. This will help retain skilled workforce in India and help in building skilled nation.

Charu Malhotra, Mohali

Do handholding to minimise inherent risks

Entrepreneurial spirit is needed for success in startup ventures. The Chandigarh administration’s startup policy is definitely a right idea which will help youths set up their own ventures. The policy has to have a vision with a clarity on execution, hiring, fundraising and every other aspect of the proposed venture. Anyone going for a startup needs strong values to shape the core of the company. The policy should also do handholding for a few years so that the inherent risks are minimised. Products have to be of high standards so as to face the competition and earn export attention. Only a resilient entrepreneur can succeed in a competitive environment. The administration needs to carry out a lot of awareness about this policy so that maximum people can take advantage of it. Further, banks should come forward and extend credit to startups, as under the existing guidelines, all startups are eligible upto Rs 5 crore support under the priority sector.

Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh

Help entrepreneurs select a business

There should be a foolproof system to award loans to genuine entrepreneurs and check all loopholes to debar fraudsters from usurping the funds. First of all, the evaluation of projects should be done without interference of influential people, including politicians. The government should spend on R&D for developing design of products, including services such as call centres etc., and a roadmap to achieve the objective. Give the innovators facilities for independent research within the framework of policy.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma

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