CHENNAI: The government on Monday said due to various steps taken, youth belonging to SC/ST communities have started turning into startup entrepreneurs. So far, the government has allocated Rs 80 crore for this purpose and 38 startups by SC/ST youths have received a shared investment of Rs 55.20 crore.
An official release said since the government has been encouraging startup organisations and as many as 6,384 startups have been established since the DMK assumed office in May 2021.
The number of startups in the state stood at 2,032 before May 2021 and it has gone up to 8,416. The number of women startups has also increased from 966 in 2021 to 3,163 in 2024.
The SC/STs startup fund was introduced during 2022-23 and in the past two financial years, a sum of Rs 55.2 crore has benefitted 38 startups. Entrepreneurs from Chennai, Salem, Kanniyakumari, Madurai, Tiruchy, Coimbatore, Erode and Nilgiris have benefitted from this scheme.
These startups have been set up in various fields including agricultural engineering, artificial intelligence, value addition to food items, etc. The Tribal Green Fuel, managed by the tribal communities, provided employment to many in the Thalavadi forest area in Erode district.