PANAJI
Goa’’s draft Startup Policy will be finalised by March 31, informed IT Minister Rohan Khaunte, on Thursday and added that the policy will make Goa as a best startup destination in Asia by 2025.
Khaunte was speaking as the chief guest at the three-day Goa Biz Fest 2018 at Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium, Bambolim.
He also said that IT along with tourism is going to be the focus of the government’’s energies in 2018.
“For both these sectors policies are being framed but the biggest difficulty we face in formulating policy is the skill gap among the youth,” said Khaunte.
He asked the businessmen gathered at the Biz Fest to focus on skill upgradation of the youth.
About the forthcoming Startup Policy, he disclosed that it would have lot of schemes in place to attract companies from outside Goa.
“The government henceforth will have only two conditions in mind while clearing projects, viz. revenue per sq mtr and employment per sq mtr. The policy will be geared towards developing high-end IT in the state,” said Khaunte.
Acknowledging the contribution of existing startups, he said that, they must stop being impatient and be supportive of the government’’s efforts in coming out with appropriate policy.
The draft Startup Policy was announced in July 2017 and local promoters of startups are keen to know of the freebies it offers to investors.
Khaunte did the unveiling of the Biz Fest in the presence of Dr Pramod Sawant, speaker, legislative assembly, Ajai Chowdhary, co-founder, HCL the key-note speaker for the day.
Later during the day a panel discussion was held on Goa as an emerging technology hub with Ameya Abhyankar, IT secretary, Mangirish Salelkar, Prasad Sawant, Devdas Krishnan and Kevin Scott Kreger as the panelists.
The three-day festival is being organised by BNI, a networking outfit with huge membership of local businessmen. Khaunte also lauded the initiative of the Goa Biz Fest organisers and said that 2018 will be challenging on account of the SC judgement on mining.
“Every challenge has a opportunity” he said, adding that mining was 15 per cent of the GDP once and currently accounts for just one per cent of the state income.