PM Interacts With Young Innovators and Start-Up Entrepreneurs

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi interacted with young innovators and Start-Up entrepreneurs from across the country, through video bridge on May 6, 2018. This was the fourth interaction by the Prime Minister through video bridge series with various beneficiaries of Government schemes. Delighted at India's youngsters becoming job creators, Prime Minister said that the Government is committed towards harnessing the demographic dividend. The Prime Minister gave a clarion call to the nation to make 'Innovate India', a mass movement. He encouraged citizens to share their ideas and innovations through the hashtag #Innovate India. The Prime Minister further said that connecting with people, adequate capital and courage  are required for excelling in the start- up sector. Prime Minister said that things have changed from the time where start-ups meant only digital and technology innovation.  He said that now there are start-up entrepreneurs in many fields. Start-Ups are filed in 28 States, 6 Union Territories and 419 districts. Out of these, 44% of start-ups registered are from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities as Start-Up India is focusing on encouraging local innovations from their areas. In addition, 45% of the start-ups are set up by women. Shri Modi also explained how filing patents and trademarks have become easy under the government. Government has brought down the number of forms needed to apply for trademark from seventy-four to eight, resulting in three-fold increase in Trade Marks registration in three years. Number of patents registered has also seen a three-fold increase compared to the previous government. During the interaction with young entrepreneurs, Prime Minister said that the government has created Rs.10000 Crore 'Fund of Funds' to ensure that young entrepreneurs may not face shortage of funds for their start-ups and to facilitate youngsters to innovate.  Through the 'Fund of Funds', Rs.1285 Crore funding has been committed, leveraging a total of Rs.6980 Crore in venture funds so far. –PIB

Ministry of Science & Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences

The government, during the last four years, has been working on building an end-to-end, holistic scientific ecosystem. This includes enhancing the quality and quantity of impactful basic research to translation research to technology development, to technology transfer, to innovation and startups to enabling commercialization of indigenous technology. Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences Dr Harsh Vardhan briefed media about the achievements of Ministry of Science & Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences in last 4 years in New Delhi. The Minister said, our science is now working to solve important challenges in the areas of water, energy, health, environment, climate, agriculture, food. At the same time, India is getting future-ready in launching ambitious missions in cyber physical system, Artificial Intelligence, Super Computing, Deep Ocean, biopharmaceuticals, and others, which will make us globally competitive in a rapidly changing world order, said
the Minister. –EN

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Mr Hardeep Singh Puri has said that the government will achieve the target of providing housing for all by mid-2019. He said that the government was sanctioning 3-5 lakh houses every month. The government has estimated total housing shortage at 1.2 crore. The Minister said, the government has so far sanctioned construction of 47.5 lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban). Of this, 27 lakh houses have been grounded, while construction of 8 lakh houses has been completed. Total investment approved in the housing scheme is Rs 2.68 lakh crore, of which the central assistance approved is Rs 73,460 crore. On achievements of the NDA government, Mr Puri said the overall proposed investment in urban infrastructure during 2014-18 is around Rs 6.86 lakh crore, much higher than Rs 1.58 lakh crore proposed investment by the previous government during
2004-2014. –EN
  
 
Ministry of Women and Child Development

193 One Stop Centres (OSCs), popularly known as Sakhi Centres are functional across the country.  While interacting with media on WCD Ministry's Achievements in last four years New Delhi, the WCD Minister Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi said that 193 Sakhi Centres have been established in the country for women affected by violence.  The Minister added that the number of One Stop Centres would be increased to more than 600 by the next year.  Over 1.3 lakh women have been assisted.
The Minister also pointed out that the Ministry of Home Affairs has recently created a special division to address the issues of women safety. The WCD Minister has written to all the Ministries to create a similar division.  The Minister further shared that MHA is creating National Repository of Sex Offenders.  The profile of sex offenders on this repository would be shared with the State/UTs. Highlighting the projects appraised under Nirbhaya Fund, the Minister thanked the Prime Minister for giving the utmost priority to women safety and security, and said that projects worth more than Rs. 6,000 crores have been appraised under Nirbhaya Fund by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
Speaking on disputes in NRI marriages, the Minister said that WCD Ministry is in the process of issuing orders to the Registrars that NRI marriages have to be registered within 48 hours else the passport/visas would not be issued.  The registrars would send the details of such NRI marriages to the WCD Ministry so that a Central database can be maintained.  The Ministry has recently issued 6 Look Out Circulars in such cases and in 5 cases, passports have been revoked by the Ministry of External Affairs.   The Ministry has prepared the draft National Policy for Women, 2017 after considering over 15000 sugge-stions/comments received from stakeholders.-EN