Startups must reach rural, remote areas, says Nirmala Sitharaman

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged startups to expand beyond major cities and reach rural and remote areas. At the Rajasthan Youth Conclave, she highlighted government support, while Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma outlined Rajasthan’s growing startup, innovation and technology ecosystem

Jaipur: Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday emphasised that startup services should not remain confined to major cities and must reach rural and remote areas as well.

She said the Central and State governments are providing the necessary policy and financial support to expand the startup ecosystem across the country. Sitharaman stated that startups can progress only when they receive the necessary grants and government support. She called upon the youth to work in the right direction to transform startup ideas into reality and ensure that the general public benefits from them.

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The Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister was addressing the Rajasthan Youth Conclave at the Rajasthan International Centre (RIC). She said the State Government has taken commendable steps to promote startups and provide financial assistance. Rajasthan is making a significant contribution to India’s innovation ecosystem, and the achievements of its startups deserve wider recognition.

She noted that after 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the PM Jan Dhan Yojana to promote financial inclusion nationwide and ensure that at least one member of every family had access to a bank account. Today, transactions through these accounts are helping common people access credit facilities.

During the event, Sitharaman interacted with startup founders from Rajasthan and appreciated ideas aimed at improving citizen services. She also interacted with a woman associated with Rajeevika.

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said the State Government is committed to providing every possible opportunity and a conducive environment for Rajasthan’s youth to progress, explore new possibilities and realise their dreams. Facilities are continuously being developed to encourage talent, innovation and entrepreneurship among young people.

He said a Tribal Incubation Centre has been inaugurated in Banswara to connect youth from tribal areas with innovation and entrepreneurship. With this, the number of incubation centres in Rajasthan has reached 10.

The Chief Minister said investment in Rajasthan’s startups, which stood at approximately Rs. 250 crore in 2023, has increased to Rs. 1,054 crore. Employment opportunities within the startup ecosystem have also risen from 22,000 to more than 49,000.

He stated that the iStart programme has been expanded across all 33 districts to promote an entrepreneurial and innovative mindset among school students and rural youth. Under the initiative, 65 iStart Launchpad Nests have been established in selected schools and colleges, with 129,000 students registered. More than 4,000 outreach sessions have been conducted across over 3,000 educational institutions.

Over the last two and a half years, 4,828 new startups have been registered under the Rajasthan Startup Programme.

The Chief Minister added that the Rajasthan Innovation Challenge is encouraging young people and innovators to develop solutions to real-world problems. Grant assistance of up to Rs. 7.5 crore is being provided for technology-driven solutions in sectors including agriculture, healthcare, water conservation, tourism, mining and public services. The State Government is also focusing on emerging sectors of the future economy.

Recognising the potential of rapidly growing fields such as animation, visual effects, gaming, comics and extended reality, the AVGC-XR Policy has been implemented. He said work is being undertaken in AI, AVGC-XR, gaming and robotics through the Atal Innovation Studio and Accelerator.

An Atal Innovation Studio and Accelerator Hub is being developed in Jaipur, along with regional centres in Bikaner, Bharatpur and Udaipur.

The Chief Minister said the objective is to establish Rajasthan as a leading national and global hub for new, creative and technology-driven sectors. The State aims to take its youth to new heights through innovation-driven employment, entrepreneurship-led opportunities and technology.

The Rajasthan AI-ML Policy 2026 has also been launched to position the State as a leader in artificial intelligence. The policy is expected to promote innovation, investment, skill development and new employment opportunities in AI and machine learning across Rajasthan.

He said that, as part of efforts to prepare Rajasthan’s youth and government machinery for future technologies, approximately 4,000 government officials and employees have received AI training under the Yuva AI for All programme.

Citizens are currently accessing 51 services across 27 e-Mitra categories via WhatsApp, while another 58 services will be made available on the platform in phases.

The Chief Minister further said significant steps are being taken to build skills and expertise in emerging technologies. The Brahmagupta Centre for Information Technology is operational in Jaipur and houses three Centres of Excellence focused on data analytics, cybersecurity and blockchain.

He emphasised that Rajasthan is making rapid progress in innovation, skill development, AI, digital services and emerging technologies.