CM Vishnu Deo Sai Interacts with Youth and Startup Entrepreneurs at Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conclave-2026
Rs 500 Crore Provision for Mukhyamantri Startup and Nipun Yojana; Investment Proposals Worth Rs 8.23 Lakh Crore Received Under New Industrial Policy
Raipur, Sept 2026: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said the state’s youth are its biggest asset and should not limit themselves to seeking employment but should use their skills, innovation and entrepreneurial abilities to create new job opportunities.
Addressing students, young innovators and startup entrepreneurs from across Chhattisgarh at the three-day Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conclave-2026 at the Krishak Mandapam of Indira Gandhi Agricultural University in Raipur, Sai said young people would play a crucial role in building a developed Chhattisgarh.
He said the state government was working to create the necessary ecosystem, infrastructure, technical support and incentives to help young people turn their ideas into innovations and successful enterprises.
“The youth of today are not merely waiting for opportunities; they have the potential to create new opportunities through their talent,” Sai said. He added that it was the government’s responsibility to provide the right platform, technical assistance, financial support and a conducive policy environment.
Rs 500 Crore for Startup and Nipun Yojana
Responding to questions on government support for converting ideas into businesses, Sai said the state was working on the Mukhyamantri Startup and Nipun Yojana, for which Rs 500 crore has been provided.
He said the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana and various schemes of the Centre and state government were encouraging youth towards self-employment and entrepreneurship.
The Chhattisgarh Industrial Policy-2024 also provides several incentives for new entrepreneurs. Special encouragement is being extended to entrepreneurship among women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and persons with disabilities. Special provisions have also been made for industries capable of generating greater employment at the local level.
Sai urged young people to study the new industrial policy carefully and make maximum use of the opportunities available under it. New industrial parks are being developed in the state, while the single-window system has simplified procedures for entrepreneurs and investors.
Rs 8.23 Lakh Crore Investment Proposals Received
Sai said Chhattisgarh had received investment proposals worth approximately Rs 8.23 lakh crore since the implementation of the new industrial policy.
He said the investment process was not limited to proposals, with work already beginning on several projects. Along with traditional industries, the state is witnessing growing investment opportunities in energy, artificial intelligence, data centres, semiconductors, textiles and other emerging sectors.
Chhattisgarh’s natural resources, energy potential, central geographical location and improving road, rail and air connectivity are further strengthening its prospects for investment and entrepreneurship, he said.
Youth to Play Decisive Role in Building Developed Chhattisgarh
Sai said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set the goal of building a developed India by 2047, and Chhattisgarh is also moving towards becoming a developed state in line with this vision.
The state has set a target of taking its economy to approximately Rs 75 lakh crore by 2047, he said.
According to Sai, this target cannot be achieved through government efforts alone and will require the participation of young people, farmers, entrepreneurs, scientists, researchers and citizens.
He said the younger generation would particularly need to advance in technology, research, innovation and entrepreneurship. Expansion of major connectivity projects, including the Raipur-Visakhapatnam corridor, will improve Chhattisgarh’s access to major economic centres and benefit industry, trade, agriculture, tourism and employment.
CM Shares Experiences from His Farming Background
During his interaction with the youth, Sai shared experiences from his farming family and village Bagiya. He said he comes from a farming background and had personally been involved in agriculture, ploughing and animal husbandry.
He said this experience had given him a close understanding of both the challenges and opportunities in agriculture.
As Chhattisgarh is primarily an agrarian state, modern technology and innovation can be integrated with agriculture to create wide-ranging entrepreneurial opportunities for young people, he said.
Sai identified agriculture, biotechnology, food processing, digital technology, artificial intelligence, renewable energy and other emerging sectors as areas where young people could utilise their talent.
Vast Potential in Value Addition of Agricultural and Forest Produce
Sai said Chhattisgarh is endowed with rich mineral resources, forest wealth and agricultural biodiversity. The need, he said, is to increase value addition to these resources and ensure that greater benefits reach local communities.
He said forest areas, including Bastar, produce large quantities of tamarind, mahua, custard apple and medicinal plants. Modern processing, attractive packaging, branding and marketing can help young entrepreneurs build new businesses around these products.
Such enterprises could generate local employment and strengthen the economy of forest regions, he said.
Responding to a question from a young entrepreneur about exporting aromatic rice, Sai said Chhattisgarh was truly the “rice bowl” of India and had several distinctive aromatic varieties, including Jawaphool, Vishnubhog, Hanumanbhog and Shitalchini.
He said Indira Gandhi Agricultural University was conserving thousands of rice varieties.
“We must not remain limited to agricultural production. We need to develop the entire chain of processing, packaging, branding, value addition and exports,” Sai said.
Such an approach would help farmers receive better prices for their produce while creating new markets and opportunities for agriculture-based startups.
The youth raised questions on several issues during the conclave, including startup funding, collateral requirements for loans, government schemes, job creation, better utilisation of horticulture students’ skills, the social media and influencer ecosystem, and opportunities emerging from the proposed film city.
Sai encouraged young people to make use of available opportunities and enter the field of entrepreneurship. He said the nature of employment and business was changing rapidly and the state government was working on new opportunities and systems keeping changing technology and future requirements in mind.
He urged the youth not to fear failure and to have the courage to experiment with new ideas. An idea, he said, becomes an instrument of change only when it is combined with hard work, skills and entrepreneurship.
CM Visits Subhash Chandra Bose Biotechnology Incubation Centre
Sai also visited the newly constructed Subhash Chandra Bose Biotechnology Incubation Centre on the Indira Gandhi Agricultural University campus.
He inspected the advanced laboratories, scientific equipment and facilities available for startups and interacted with scientists and experts.
The Chief Minister visited several modern facilities, including the biosafety-level laboratory, animal culture laboratory, microbial cell laboratory and plant tissue culture laboratory.
The centre has incubation space for startups, dry and wet laboratories, plug-and-play offices, a common instrumentation laboratory, analytical testing facilities and equipment ranging from basic to high-end systems.
Sai said the centre would serve not merely as a laboratory but as an important platform taking students, researchers and startups from “idea to innovation and innovation to enterprise.”
He said young innovators would be able to take their ideas beyond research and convert them into useful products and successful businesses.
Startups will receive mentoring, handholding, technology transfer, product development and institutional support through the incubation centre. Students will also receive opportunities for dissertations and internships.
Sai expressed confidence that the centre would act as a bridge between research and industry and provide fresh momentum to Chhattisgarh’s innovation ecosystem in agriculture and biotechnology.
Plantation Under ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ Campaign
On the occasion, Sai planted a Moulshree sapling at the incubation centre premises under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign.
He called for greater public participation in environmental conservation and encouraged people to undertake plantation and ensure the protection and survival of planted trees.
Conclave Showcases Innovation from AgriTech to AI and Deep-Tech
The three-day Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conclave is showcasing startups and innovations across sectors including agriculture and AgriTech, food processing and value addition, biotechnology, rural entrepreneurship, digital technology, artificial intelligence, deep-tech, renewable energy and environment.
The conclave has brought students, researchers, innovators, startups, investors and industry representatives onto a common platform to discuss opportunities for connecting new ideas with technology, markets and investment.
Sai said Chhattisgarh’s younger generation has no shortage of talent and potential, and the key requirement is to provide them with opportunities and the right platforms.
He expressed confidence that the state’s youth would use their talent, innovation and entrepreneurial abilities not only to advance themselves but also to create employment and opportunities for thousands of others.
Calling upon the youth to take the lead, Sai said the progress of young people would contribute to the progress of Chhattisgarh, while providing opportunities for innovation would further strengthen the state’s goal of becoming a developed Chhattisgarh by 2047.
Vice Chancellor of Indira Gandhi Agricultural University Dr Girish Chandel, senior officials, scientists, young entrepreneurs, startup representatives and a large number of students were present at the event.
