Mangaluru : The move to set up the government’s startup and incubation centre in the city has taken a leap with the council of the Mangaluru City Corporation giving its approval for allotting free space to it for five years.

The council has agreed to spare 5,000 sq ft area in its commercial complex building at Mallikatta.

The council has decided that once handed over the maintenance of the centre would have to be done by the Department of industries. On the other hand, the district administration has decided to constitute a society for its maintenance. Now, it has appointed the Director of Nirmiti Kendra as the implementing officer to the get the centre ready for occupying.

Sources said that the kendra has prepared a Rs 1.30 crore project proposal to set up the centre and it is awaiting approval from the government.

According to it, 60 seats can be created. At the same time, the government has released Rs 50 lakh to the Deputy Commissioner from the area development fund of the Member of Parliament for the centre. Works on setting up the centre would begin once the government approved the project proposal, sources said.

Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman, when visited the city on June 16, visited the same building to inspect for housing the centre.

The Minister went on record then that the centre would offer basic infrastructure for any startups that are looking for space and the necessary infrastructure would be made available to them at nominal rates.

The Minister noted that there are startups who require space for one hour a day or working space for a week or perhaps for a whole month. There should be space to sit, work, and ideate depending upon the demand for the startup.

According to the Minister, NASSCOM has agreed to provide a representative to facilitate the set up.

She noted that at present, many startups go away to other places owing to lack of an ecosystem to commence business/ industry. While the region has many qualified talents, they should not be made to go away and be given necessary facilities here only, she said.