Chief Minister Oommen Chandy announced on Thursday that one per cent of the State Budget funds would be set apart for young entrepreneurs.
Addressing nearly 50 lakh school and college students across the State through Google Hangouts online, the Chief Minister said that this was the first time that such an allocation was being made in a State Budget in the country. A policy document on youth entrepreneurship would be released in 30 days.
Mr. Chandy said that the youth entrepreneurship programme started in the information technology and telecom sectors would be extended to agriculture, health, cinema, culture, tourism and other areas. Hi-tech agriculture would be encouraged. Entrepreneurship development clubs would be started in all colleges.
Later, talking to the media, the Chief Minister said that the proposed Budget allocations under different heads would come to about Rs. 500 crore. He said that students of 2,092 high schools, besides many higher secondary schools and colleges, had listened to him through Google Hangouts and Victers Channel live streaming.
