C'garh CM inaugurates incubation centres for agri startups

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday inaugurated two incubation centresat Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV) Raipur topromote startups and innovators in agriculture and alliedsectors, a government official here said.

While virtually inaugurating Biotech Incubation Centreand Agri-Business Incubation and Production Centre to mark thebirth anniversary of freedom fighter Netaji Subhas ChandraBose, Baghel said every university in the state shouldestablish incubation and manufacturing hubs to promote newbusiness ideas.

Underlining the role of youth in state's 'Gadhbo NavaChhattisgarh' (create a new Chhattisgarh) campaign, he saidall educational institutions should work towards developingentrepreneurial skills in youth.

The incubation centres will provide infrastructure,technology, financial and business networking assistance tobudding innovators and entrepreneurs in the agri-biotechnologyand agriculture sector, a public relations officer of the IGKVsaid.

The chief minister also laid the foundation stone fora new building of the biotech incubation centre, which is apart of the biotechnology park, a joint project of IGKV Raipurand state Agriculture department, he said.

The project will be completed in two phases, theofficial said.

In the first phase, the new building of theincubation centre will be set up at a cost of Rs 30 crore inthe university campus in the next two years, where 23companies will be provided facilities for their offices andlabs, he said.

They will also be given technical and businessnetworking guidance, the official said.

Startups related to agri-biotech, healthcare biotechand food processing will be given preference there, he said.

In the second phase of the project, a 'businessenterprises zone' will be developed on 9.59 hectare land inMungi village in Arang area of Raipur district, where 23companies will be provided research, technical andinfrastructure facilities, he said.

Similarly, in the agri-business and incubation centre,young entrepreneurs will be given training and the opportunityto launch their startups, the PRO said.

At present, 94 entrepreneurs are being trained atthe agri-business incubation centre, while 24 companies havealready set up offices there, he added.