Today, on August 1, 2023, various policies and objectives under the UP Startup Policy 2020 were discussed in the conference hall of Shri Ram Group of Colleges and what are the requirements for setting up an incubator or center of excellence in Muzaffarnagar district. A preliminary decision was taken to set up an incubator. In fact, the vision of UP Startup 2020 is to develop a strong infrastructure in the state and establish a world-class startup eco-system by creating a favorable policy environment. The objective of this policy is to promote innovation and entrepreneurship culture at the grassroots level to generate employment and introduce emerging technologies in niche sectors, thereby boosting the state's economy and youth empowerment. Under the target of the said policy, 100 incubators are to be established in the state and at least one incubator in each district of the state. For this, a Startup Committee has been constituted at the district level, in which the District School Inspector, Deputy Director of Agriculture, Appropriate Industry Center, District Horticulture Officer, eDistrict Manager, Mahatma Gandhi National Fellow Skill Development Mission and two invited members will be its nodal officers as members. The Chief Development Officer (CDO) of Muzaffarnagar district is Sandeep Bhagia. Regarding the policy, in the meeting held at Shri Ram Group of Colleges, the said members of the committee, Principal SD Degree College, Principal Ch. Rajat Vardhan from Chhotu Ram College and Agro Next Startup were present. Highlighting the various aspects of the policy chaired by Chief Development Officer (CDO) Sandeep Bhagia, the conditions that need to be fulfilled by the incubator for approval as anchor of the startup eco system were discussed such as 10,000 square feet floor area, Dedicated incubation team, 100 sq ft working space, meeting rooms, conference rooms and cafeteria.
Capital grant, operating business, incentive for startup, maintenance allowance, prototype grant and seed capital will be main among various incentive grants by the administration for incubators in every district of UP.
Present in the discussion were the chief officers and senior educationists of the district who presented their views. Dr. Ashok Kumar, director of Shri Ram College, while keeping his views said that Muzaffarnagar district is an agricultural district and there are immense possibilities in the field of technology. For this reason, some innovative startups related to these areas can be done. Various innovative projects done by the teachers and students of the science, agriculture, biotechnology and engineering departments of the college were described in detail by Dr. Prerna Mittal, Principal of Shri Ram College.
SC Kulshrestha, chairman of Shri Ram Group of Colleges, explained in detail the Center for Innovation, Fabrication and Entrepreneurship Development (CIDDMK) established in the college and the details of the three startups that came out of the college, including Shri Ram Technologies and Shri Ram Enterprises, were given. Various sites of Shri Ram Group of Colleges were visited to meet the deficient points.
Keeping everyone's views in mind by the nodal committee and finding Shri Ram Group of Colleges to meet all the criteria, Shri Ram Group of Colleges was encouraged to do more work on the startup in cooperation with the government machinery and officials. Shri Ram Group of Colleges has been declared as the first Startup Incubator of District Muzaffarnagar under the UP Startup Policy.