New Delhi, Oct 12 (KNN) With the government of Gujarat giving industry status to IT sector and supporting startups through various plans, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has assured that many more such plans will be launched in near future.

He made the above remarks at the Vibrant Gujarat Startup and Technology Summit, Gandhinagar.

In a bid to boost its startup ecosystem, the government of Gujarat has announced that it will support 2,000 startups in the state by 2021, said Vijay Rupani.

The state government has also announced a grand challenge for startups with a total prize money of Rs 3 crore.

Dr J N Singh, Chief Secretary of the Government of Gujarat said, “This would provide an excellent opportunity and a platform for startup, innovators and entrepreneurs to develop affordable and sustainable solutions that improve and change the developmental landscape of the country.”

He added, “With the focus on solving challenges, we have received an enormous response from across the country with more than 1,200 applications and I am pleased to see that more than two-third of the applications are from Gujarat.”

A Debjani Ghosh, President, NASSCOM, said, “Gujarat’s IT industry’s contribution to India’s economy is 1% and I really wish Gujarat takes up the challenge of escalating it to 10% because there’s tremendous potential here.”

According to the government, they are taking forward prime minister, Narendra Modi’s vision of Digital India to transform the country into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.

The three-day long event co-organized by Industrial Extension Bureau (iNDEXTb), Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) and GESIA IT Association, is a forerunner to the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in January 2019. 

With ‘Experience the Next’ as the theme this year, the summit throws light on the way IT will transform the way people of India will live in the times to come.

The summit focuses on technology as a catalyst to entrepreneurship.

The exciting array of events and activities lined up for the first time is expected to rerate and redefine Gujarat as the Living Lab for the IT industry and also as a lucrative startup hub. 

Other dignitaries present on the occasion were D Thara IAS & Vice Chairman and MD, GIDC, Chad Hensler Consul & Trade Commissioner at Consulate General of Canada, Ulrika Sundberg Consul General of Sweden, Consulate of Sweden, Dr. J N Singh IAS, Chief Secretary, Govt. of Gujarat, and Vivek Ogra Chairman, GESIA IT Association, among many other prominent names.