The IT sector will play an important role towards building a self-reliant Tripura in future and the state government had taken initiatives towards development of the IT industry over the past four years.

The IT sector will play an important role towards building a self-reliant Tripura in future and the state government had taken initiatives towards development of the IT industry over the past four years.

Besides this, the state government also had started Tripura IT/ITES Start-Up Scheme-2019 to create opportunities for young IT graduates through more numbers of IT/ITES Start-Up industries in the state, said Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha after inaugurating Tripura Start-Up Week at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan on Wednesday.

He said," the state has an apt environment for the development of the IT sector. In fact, the rate of literacy of the state is commendable as compared to other states in the country. There are schools, colleges, university, medical college, engineering college, polytechnic institute and ITI including government and private technical institutions in the state. As a result, the youth of the state are becoming skilled in the IT sector from such institutions. Apart from that, the state has an uninterruptible power system, pollution-free environment, transport system such as rail, road and direct connectivity between Bangladesh and different parts of the country through airways for growing scope of IT sector".

The Chief Minister also called upon the industrialists to make use of the apt environment for setting up IT industries in the state.

The Chief Minister inaugurated two Start-Up products (‘Chitrika’ and ‘Oman’) and Medic App, Career Vichar and Grocell App services on the occasion of Tripura Start-Up Week. The Chief Minister also launched Tripura IT/ITES Policy-2022 and Tripura Venture Capital Fund. He said, there are 50 Start-Up IT/ITES in the state so far that are registered under Start-Up India Portal. Among these, 13 Start-Ups are registered under Tripura IT/ITES Start-Up scheme. These are being provided with financial and different kinds of assistance by the IT department.

The Chief Minister said the state government has started the New Generation Innovation Network scheme to bring all technical and educational institutes under one roof of the Start-Up ecosystem. There is an opportunity to provide a one-time grant of 10 lakh rupees for infrastructural development and 5 lakh rupees each year to educational institutions for management under the scheme. Total four technical institutes so far including NIT, TIT, ICFAI and Techno India have been brought under the New Generation Innovation Network scheme.

The Chief Minister said, the present time is completely dependent on modern technology. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken different initiatives to build Digital India. Now people don’t have to worry much since e-services have been started in different sectors. Chief Secretary J. K. Sinha said, students of different technical institutions in the state are showing their growing interest regarding Start-Ups. They are moving ahead using different modern technologies. He said, there are scopes to create different products through Start-Ups to further simplify daily facilities. Different facilities including incubation centre, venture capital fund are there to open Start-Up in the state. The Chief Secretary called upon the investors including students of different technical institutions to make proper use of these and open Start-Ups.

Principal Secretary of IT department Punit Agarwal and Director Dr. Naresh Babu N. also spoke on the occasion. One-time grant of 10 lakh rupees was provided to two Start-Ups under New Generation Innovation Network scheme in the programme. The Chief Minister handed over the cheques to the authorities of the both Start-Ups.