Shimla: Himachal Pradesh has achieved the prestigious title of "Best Performer" in the State's Start-up Ranking 2022 under the B category, competing with states like Gujarat and Karnataka.
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Government of India, recognized the state at an event in New Delhi, praising its efforts in propelling the start-up ecosystem.
Evaluated on seven reform areas and 27 action points, Himachal Pradesh stood out as a Capacity Building Pioneer, Funding Leader, Sustainability Promoter, Incubation Hub, Mentorship Champion, Innovative Leader, and Institutional Champion.
Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed the state's commitment to becoming a global leader in building the start-up ecosystem.
The upcoming start-up policy will feature special provisions for rural-based and women-led start-ups. New incubation centers at institutions like the Indian Institute of Management, Sirmaur, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bilaspur, and the Department of Digital Technologies and Governance are in the pipeline.
Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan commended the Department and the start-up team for their efforts in securing the "Best Performer" award. The state was recognized for initiatives such as building an interactive start-up portal, creating awareness mechanisms in Higher Education Institutes, and providing showcase and marketing opportunities for start-ups.
Certificates of appreciation were awarded to the Department of Industries, Government of Himachal Pradesh, and Principal Secretary Industries, R.D. Nazeem, Director Industries, Rakesh Kumar Prajapati, and Joint Director, Deepika Khatri, for their commendable efforts.
Himachal Pradesh, known for having the highest number of incubation centers per capita, continues to set benchmarks for development.
Recently, the state was also acknowledged as an "Outstanding Performing" state in the Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises at World Food India, receiving recognition from the President of India.