'Madhya Pradesh Holds Immense Potential To Become A Thriving Hub For Grassroots Innovation,' Says EDII Director

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh, a state rich in talent and resources, holds immense potential to become a thriving hub for grassroots innovation, says Director (Department of Entrepreneurship Education) at Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Satya Ranjan Acharya.

He said that ranked 13th in NITI Aayog’s India Innovation Index 2020, the state continues to make encouraging progress. “While MP continues to strengthen its position under DPIIT’s State Startup Rankings, the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII) has stepped in to empower students, educators, rural youth, and marginalised communities through entrepreneurship."

EDII serves as the National Resource Organisation and implementation partner for this flagship programme. In Madhya Pradesh, SVEP is operational in nine blocks — currently ongoing in Bijadandi (Mandla) and Lalbarra (Balaghat), and successfully completed in Karahal, Majhauli, Rajpur, Samnapur, Sohagpur, Sondwa, and Thandla.

Acharya, who was in the city on Tuesday, told media persons that EDII is a 42-year-old institute which is recognised as a Center of Excellence by the Government of India. “Our mission is not to create entrepreneurs overnight, but we focus on developing problem-solving skills, risk-taking behaviour, and market understanding,” he said.

About the important things to promote entrepreneurship, he said that it is necessary that the spirit of entrepreneurship should develop within children from school time. “There is a lack of this in our school education, but I think with the new education policy, the trend towards entrepreneurship will start developing in students from the school level itself,” he said.

About the benefits of joining networking communities for start-ups, Acharya said, “Encouraging students to face the challenges faced by the country or the market,” adding that, “Youths who are working on start-ups should join start-up communities so that they can build a network and promote their ideas and products.”