Startup Township: Goyal's Vision for Indian Silicon Valley

New Delhi, Sep 16 (PTI) Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday suggested setting up of a township dedicated to entrepreneurs and startups, aiming to replicate the success of American Silicon Valley.

He also asked startups to participate in official delegation visits to different countries as it gives a good exposure to them.

"We should be aspiring to go beyond. We should be aspiring to have our own silicon valley. I know Bengaluru is the Silicon Valley of India. But I think it's time we also start thinking in terms of maybe tying up with NICDC and creating a whole new township dedicated to entrepreneurs, startups, innovators, and disruptors...," he said.

The National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) is implementing the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme, which is an ambitious infrastructure programme aiming to develop new industrial cities as smart cities. They are developing 20 such townships in different parts of the country, including Bihar, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh.

The minister was addressing startup players during the launch of Bharat Startup Knowledge Access Registry (BHASKAR) Portal in the national capital.

"Can we create a society, or a whole 200 (or) 100 (or) 500 acre area land... see whether we can create some ecosystem... whether its somebody coming from a very far-off place with an idea, who does not know where and whom to connect with can land up there (in the township) like once upon a time people used to come to Mumbai," Goyal said.

The minister encouraged young entrepreneurs to look internationally and become world players as tremendous opportunities are there.