From the very first germ of an idea to the eventual thriving business, the first-of-its-kind Start-up India tableau designed for the Republic Day parade showcases every stage of a start-up’s life cycle. Built around the theme ‘Startups: Reach for the Sky’, the float has been put together by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT).
“The tableau will depict how ideas come to life and how the innovations that emerge positively affect lives of the citizens of India,” an official statement said, adding that the float will also showcase the all-round support provided by the Centre in each firm’s journey.
Showcased for the first time during Thursday’s full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day parade, the float is a vibrant mix of modernity and tradition. The front part of the tableau depicts a creative mind and the swirl of ideas just waiting to be weaned out of it.
“The Startup India Tree, in the middle, represents the different kinds of support given to start-ups. The staircase denotes the stages of growth – proving a concept, creating a prototype, preparing a business plan, building a team, launching into markets and eventually scaling up,” the government said.
Meanwhile, the wheel at the rear is meant to depict the sectors of economy where Indian entities have driven economic growth and created employment on a large scale. The map of India represents the spread of the start-up movement, and the wheel and the map together is meant to invoke the width and depth of the Startup India ecosystem, noted officials.
One of the flagship initiatives of the NDA government, Startup India is aimed at building a strong ecosystem to nurture innovation, drive economic growth and generate employment opportunities.
Launched on January 16, 2016, the Startup India Action Plan and Scheme has so far extended several tax benefits to DPIIT-registered start-ups. According to the Centre, more than 26,000 start-ups from 551 districts of 28 states and 7 Union territories have been recognised under the scheme so far, with companies spread across sectors like IT, Industry 4.0, education, healthcare, agriculture, among others.
Global investments
The Startup India scheme has so far extended several tax benefits to DPIIT-registered start-ups. So far, these start-ups have attracted substantial global investments and created more than 2,91,000 jobs, Centre said.