Chandigarh: Haryana is proposing a Rs 147-crore expansion of its startup support framework, with enhanced incentives for women-led ventures and measures aimed at improving startups’ access to funding, markets, technology and corporate partnerships.The proposed supplement to the Haryana State Startup Policy 2022 includes a 10% reservation in annual departmental procurement for eligible Haryana-based startups. It also proposes matching grants of up to Rs 25 lakh for startups raising funds from private or angel investors.The biggest proposed changes are for women entrepreneurs. Their lease rental subsidy would increase from 45% to 50%, with the annual ceiling doubled from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. Women-led startups would also be eligible for 100% net SGST reimbursement for seven years, against 50% for general startups, subject to the existing cap linked to fixed capital investment.The govt has proposed thematic micro-grants of Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh for women-led ventures in traditional textiles, eco-friendly rural crafts, indigenous food products and Ayurveda-based wellness. Technology-transfer support of up to Rs 10 lakh is also proposed.To create a market for startups, 10% of annual departmental procurement would be reserved for eligible Haryana-based startups. They would also get assistance of up to Rs 5 lakh for domestic exhibitions, rising to Rs 7 lakh for women-led ventures. A one-time reimbursement of 50% of quality-certification costs, capped at Rs 25 lakh per startup, is proposed.The package also provides for reimbursement of 50% of stipend costs, up to Rs 7,500 per apprentice, for startups offering apprenticeships to students of state universities and polytechnics. For school-level entrepreneurship, 10,000 DIY technology kits are proposed to be distributed annually, particularly among schoolgirls.The proposed package includes a world-class H-Hub incubator involving startups, corporates and educational institutions, besides matching grants of up to Rs 10 lakh for corporate pilot programmes.According to a presentation by the department, Haryana has more than 11,000 DPIIT-registered startups and over 40 incubators, with around half its startups being women-led. The state is ranked sixth in the Niti Aayog India Innovation Index and seventh among states by number of startups.The proposed additional financial requirement of Rs 147 crore includes Rs 25 crore each for seed-fund matching and quality certification, Rs 22 crore for exhibitions, Rs 22.5 crore for apprenticeships, and Rs 10 crore each for technology transfer and corporate pilot programmes.The proposals are part of a planned supplement to the 2022 policy, aimed at incorporating subsequent govt announcements and addressing changing requirements of the startup ecosystem.
