New boost to rural entrepreneurship and women-led startups
Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
The country’s first-ever Incubation Centre within a Government ITI campus will inaugurated at Government ITI Jalna on Friday.
Ministes Mangal Prabhat Lodha and Pankaja Mundhe will inaugurate the centre. The project, executed in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode through Magic, has been developed under the Department of Skill Development, Employment, Entrepreneurship & Innovation with support from the Jalna Collector. Funded by the state government and administered by MAGIC, the 10,300 sq. ft. facility is aligned with the Maharashtra Startup Policy to foster technology-driven entrepreneurship in rural areas. The centre will directly benefit eight government and four private ITIs, local industries, and aspiring entrepreneurs. Rural students will gain access to incubation support, co-working spaces, seed funding, design assistance, government grants, IPR services, and mentoring. In its next phase, advanced facilities like 3D printing and digital design labs will be introduced. A Food and Fashion Innovation Station will promote women-led startups, providing technical support, mentoring, and market linkage opportunities. Officials said the centre will generate employment, curb migration, and strengthen local industries. Corporate-readiness training and guidance from industry mentors will further boost opportunities. Promising ventures supported include Jijai Trailers and Equipment Pvt. Ltd. (fuel-saving heavy-duty trailers), ShivKhati Farmer Stick (a multi-utility farming tool by Dipali Bhutekar), and Unique SmartBot Pvt. Ltd. (robots and smart boards for education and automation).