PANAJI
A day after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant called on young entrepreneurs to make Goa their starting point, IT Minister Rohan Khaunte announced new schemes to boost startups and promote inclusive innovation at the just concluded Goa Market Access Expo 2025.
Urging young entrepreneurs to “start in Goa and grow across India,” Sawant said the government was backing startups with structured financial assistance comprising Rs 10 lakh direct support, a Rs 15,000 monthly salary subsidy and access to incubation facilities. He also stated that 635 startups from Goa are now registered with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), with Rs 3.9 crore in incentives disbursed to 147 beneficiaries.
“Our policies are aligned with national missions like Startup India and Digital India. We want to provide the mentorship, market access, and momentum needed for startups to grow, not just for Goa but for an Atmanirbhar Bharat,” he said, as the day-long event concluded on Friday.
Khaunte, meanwhile, emphasised the government’s focus on inclusive digital transformation. “Whether it’s empowering women through the Digital Mahila Sashaktikaran and Drone Didi schemes or introducing AI-powered chatbots on Goa Online to improve public service delivery, the goal is to make innovation both accessible and inclusive,” he said.
The IT minister further explained that the Drone Didi scheme specifically aims to train rural women to operate drones for agricultural and related purposes to enable them to participate in emerging tech-driven sectors.
The Expo, organised by the Startup and IT Promotion Cell (SITPC) under the Department of Information Technology, Electronics and Communications (DITEC), brought together over 100 startups with representatives from various government departments and industries. The platform allowed innovators to pitch their ideas and explore collaborations that could take their products to wider markets.
Khaunte said events like the Market Access Expo reflect the broader vision of positioning Goa as India’s Creative Capital. “This is not just about attracting startups. It’s about offering them a purpose-driven platform to grow and contribute meaningfully to society,” he said.
The event closed with a message that Goa is building a creative hub for learning and innovation while actively shaping its unique identity.
