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The Maharashtra government is focused on encouraging founders and entrepreneurs to set up businesses in Mumbai, said Kausthubh Dhavse, Officer on Special Duty to the Deputy Chief Minister of the state.

“For us to be successful, you (entrepreneurs) are important. We can’t be successful by making mega announcements. Only if you come to the party can we be successful,” said Dhavse, during a fireside chat with Shradha Sharma, Founder and CEO of YourStory, at TechSparks Mumbai.

Maharashtra is rolling out the red carpet for founders and entrepreneurs to set up operations in the state by focusing on infrastructure, connectivity, speed of travel, and speed of data and network. It is investing heavily in large infrastructure projects such as the coastal road and Trans Harbour Link projects to ensure a better standard of living in the capital city of Mumbai, said the officer.

Dhavse pointed out that India might have the advantage of a demographic dividend but that might soon turn into a demographic curse if the government of the day cannot create policies that can help the young population get jobs. And for that to happen, startups hold the key.

Startup-friendly policies cannot be straight-jacketed ones; the government needs to be nimble on the policy front, he said.

India is a massive country and tech policy cannot be geared towards the metro cities alone. “We are focused on Tier II and Tier III locations too. I think entrepreneurs in those areas need a lot of support.”

To get the best officials to work in rural India, there is a need for great connectivity and great data speed, said Dhavse. “With infrastructure growth and initiatives like MahaNet and BharatNet the government is trying to solve that.”