Chief Minister Shri Pramod Sawant Inaugurates the Goa Centre of Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad, March 13, 2024: The Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India’s Goa Regional Centre was inaugurated on March 12th 2024 at the hands of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant. Also present at the inauguration were Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director General, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Ahmedabad; Dr. Milind Kamble, Chairman, Dalit Indian, Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DICCI) & Board Member, EDII; Shri Sanjay Satardekar, Vice Chairman, EDC Limited; Shri B. S. Pai Angle, Managing Director, EDC Limited, and Dr. Amit Dwivedi, Incharge – Department of Government Projects, EDII.

The Centre has been launched to implement the ‘Goa Udyamita Yojana’. While EDII is the implementation agency, Goa CSR Authority and EDC Limited, Goa are the nodal agencies.

The Goa Udyamita Yojana aims to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Goa by harnessing the potential of human capital and indigenous resources, thus ensuring a high incidence of New Enterprise Creation and MSME growth.

Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant, in his inaugural speech said, “Goa is also one of the first four states to implement the Startup Policy 2017. On the front of entrepreneurship, while tourism reigns supreme, people are parallelly delving into other emerging areas. The state now steps forth to harness its potential, in several upcoming sectors, and evolve as a state that nurtures entrepreneurial aspirations to ensure growth. In that sense, the association with EDII will strengthen the entrepreneurship scenario.” The Hon’ble Chief Minister also informed how he had written to the Chief Minister of Gujarat, shri Bhupendra Patel, to facilitate setting up of Goa Centre of EDII. Shri Pramod Sawant appreciated the proactiveness shown by the office of the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat.

Expressing gratitude for the opportunity, Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director General, EDII mentioned, “The growth in the SME sector, especially in Goa, is profound, and is manifesting itself in several domains. Building on this, EDII will undertake a series of initiatives involving training, research and documentation, mentoring and incubation to ensure that Goa becomes a hub of entrepreneurship and innovations unleashing a relentless pursuit for new opportunities and processes. With a focus on fostering innovation and empowering local talent, this initiative will pave the way for Goa to emerge as a leading hub for startups and entrepreneurship.”

Dr. Milind Kamble, Founder Chairman, DICCI & Board Member-EDII said, “Goa, with its dynamic blend of culture and commerce, offers a fertile ground for entrepreneurial ventures to flourish. The EDII’s Goa Centre, I am sure, will serve as a catalyst, nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit inherent in the people of Goa, particularly its youth. Given EDII’s initiatives, Goa is poised to become a cradle for entrepreneurial aspirations and mindsets.”

Expressing his opinion, Shri B. S. Pai Angle, Managing Director, EDC Limited, said ““I am glad that we are working collaboratively towards the task of strengthening entrepreneurial pursuits in Goa. At EDC Limited, we stand committed to supporting and nurturing the entrepreneurial ecosystem, driving economic prosperity and creating a sustainable future for generations to come. Together, we will seize this moment to unlock Goa’s boundless potential.”

The inaugural function concluded with Vote of Thanks by Dr. Amit Dwivedi, Incharge, Department of Government Projects, EDII.