Business ideas contest launched in President’s smart villages

Gurugram, Jan 12 (IANS) A business ideas contest was launched here on Thursday for the youths of the five villages adopted last year by President Pranab Mukherjee under the smart villages initiative.

The contest, organised by Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust (BYST), was launched at Udyog Kunj as part of a district-wide effort to turn "job seekers into job creators".

A series of shows, events, promotional presentations and meetings will be conducted in various locations to guide the people about entrepreneurship.

"We are launching this contest in order to collect the brightest business ideas from the most disadvantaged youths in villages," said President's Secretary Omita Paul during a ceremony organised to launch the contest.

The five villages which are being developed into smart villages under the project are Dhaula, Alipur, Harichandpur and Taj Nagar in Gurgaon district; and Rojka Meo in Mewat district of Haryana.

Noting that smart villages initiative aims to transform rural areas into sustainable spaces by developing skills and jobs at the local level, Paul said: "This contest helps identify young people with creative and viable business ideas that can be converted into successful micro-enterprises."

"Disadvantaged young men and women in the age of group of 18 to 35 years can fill the contest form with their ideas and put them in the various drop boxes installed across the villages," an organiser said.

The ideas will be collected through a streamlined strategy and it will be scrutinized by a panel of business experts. The business ideas have to be innovative, unique and viable.

The top three ideas would get cash prizes of Rs 50,000, Rs 30,000 and Rs 20,000 respectively, and will be given away by the President in an award ceremony in the month of March.