SP MLA Rais Shaikh Seeks Minority Entrepreneurship Centres In Six Maharashtra Divisions To Boost Youth Start-Ups

Mumbai: Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh has called on the Maharashtra government to create Minority Entrepreneurship and Business Incubation Centres in each of the state's six revenue divisions to assist young individuals from minority backgrounds in starting small businesses. In a letter addressed to Deputy Chief Minister and Minority Development Minister Sunetra Pawar, Shaikh proposed that these centers offer training, mentorship, and necessary resources for business establishment.

He noted that minorities make up roughly 20% of Maharashtra's population, with Muslims comprising 11.54% of the total. Shaikh linked the high dropout rate among Muslim students to poverty and emphasized the necessity of focusing on skill development and entrepreneurship for those who leave formal education. "Due to poverty, there is a 30% dropout rate among Muslim students at the 10th and 12th standard levels.

Barely 10% of Muslim youth reach higher education. There is a need to encourage students who have been pushed out of the education system by providing them with opportunities for skill development and entrepreneurship," Shaikh stated. He highlighted existing institutions like BARTI, MAHAJYOTI, and SARTHI, which offer skill development and entrepreneurship-related training and opportunities to youth from various communities.

Shaikh mentioned that the Maharashtra Research and Training Institute (MRTI), aimed at serving the minority community, has yet to become operational due to insufficient funding. He suggested that the Maulana Azad Minorities Financial Development Corporation could collaborate with the proposed centers to connect beneficiaries with loan schemes, offer financial assistance, and aid in preparing and assessing project reports.

Shaikh estimated that the proposed centers could empower over 1,000 young men and women in each revenue division to launch micro and small businesses annually.