MoUs Signed with Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skills University, Gaav Tithe Udyojak Incubation Council and Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture
Mumbai, October 2026 : An MoU has been signed between Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skills University, under the Department of Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and the Gaav Tithe Udyojak Incubation Council (GTUIC), functioning under the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, to increase the participation of students from Maharashtra in the ‘Seva First Innovation Challenge’ and provide a dedicated platform for young innovators, students and rural startups across the state.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, who said the state government was committed to encouraging innovation.
Minister Lodha said grassroots innovation was being promoted under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar.
He said the primary objective of the agreement was to encourage greater participation in the ‘Seva First Innovation Challenge’, which seeks technology-driven and effective solutions to social problems.
Under the initiative, efforts will be made to reach students and aspiring entrepreneurs across Maharashtra, particularly those in educational institutions and rural areas, and provide them with guidance and technical facilities.
The agreement will help channel the innovative ideas of young people and guide startups in the state. The initiative aims to bring together talented youth from rural and semi-urban areas, connect them with the business community and help transform their ideas into viable business ventures.
Students from colleges, universities, Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and polytechnics across the state will be informed about the ‘Seva First Innovation Challenge’. Selected innovators and startups will receive expert guidance, technical assistance and an appropriate platform to develop their ideas.
The effort will focus on nurturing young people as capable entrepreneurs rather than merely job seekers. Minister Lodha expressed confidence that the partnership would accelerate sustainable development, innovation and employment generation across the state.
Rural Entrepreneurship to Be Promoted Through Gaav Tithe Udyojak Incubation Council
— Chairman Ravindra Mangave
Ravindra Mangave, chairman of the Gaav Tithe Udyojak Incubation Council, which functions under the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, said the initiative aimed to transform rural youth and women into entrepreneurs who create jobs rather than merely seek employment.
He said many young people, women and local artisans in rural areas had the ability and ideas to start businesses. However, the lack of proper guidance, capital, technology, market access and information about government schemes often limited the growth of their ventures.
The council is working to bridge this gap through initiatives extending from the village level to the district and state levels. It is gradually expanding its work across all 36 districts of Maharashtra to provide district-level business guidance and facilitate actual employment generation.
Mangave said the council would extend maximum possible support to the ‘Seva First Innovation Challenge’.
Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Manisha Verma, Vice-Chancellor of Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skills University Dr Apurva Palkar, and Gaav Tithe Udyojak Incubation Council Chairman Ravindra Mangave signed the agreement.
Ashish Pednekar, Karunakar Shetty, Shivaji Mankar, Shikhar Jain, Rameshwar Pawar, Suresh Ghorpade, Annasaheb Patil, Diwakar Keskar, Advocate Richa Pathak, Akshata Bhambale, Vishal Bandgar and Jitu Chavan were also present on the occasion.
