Kerala's startup initiative achieves big feat, gets national recognition

TRIVANDRUM: Kerala’s “Samrambaka varsham’ initiative which managed to create one lakh startups within a year gained national recognition. It was during the meeting of chief secretaries with Prime minister Narendra Modi that the central government presented Kerala's very own initiative as the best practice for startups to thrive.

In the thrust on MSME programs to boost the economy, Uttar Pradesh also earned recognition along with Kerala for its one district one product initiative. The three-day conference of chief secretaries saw the participation of chief secretary VP Joy, Adv general K R Jyothilal, Industries secretary Suman Billa, and principal secretary of animal husbandry Tinku Biswal representing Kerala.

It was on March 30 last year that Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the initiative. In just 235 days after the start, the Project bypassed the target with 101353 start-ups registered. According to officials, the success of the initiative came a bit early, as what the government intended was to reach the summit within one year while the project crossed the landmark in just 8 months. The short time taken by the government coupled with the increased number of women entrepreneurs along with the apt support extended by the government magnified the success to a stage that called for national recognition.