During the Budget 2024-25, held in the Delhi Assembly on March 4, 2024, the Delhi government earmarked Rs 40 crore for the ‘Business Blasters’ initiative, supporting student startups. Additionally, a budget allocation of Rs 15 crore was made for the upcoming ‘Business Blasters Senior’ program set to be introduced in Delhi government-funded universities.
Finance Minister Atishi, during the budget presentation, disclosed a substantial allocation of Rs 16,396 crore specifically for education in Delhi.
Discussing the success of the ‘Business Blasters’ initiative, the minister highlighted that in the academic year 2023-24, approximately 240,000 students organized themselves into 38,000 teams, actively engaging in developing their business concepts.
Atishi, who also oversees the education portfolio, declared that the Delhi government introduced ‘Business Blasters’ as a practical aspect of the Entrepreneurship Mindset curriculum. This decision was rooted in the belief that entrepreneurship is crucial for addressing unemployment issues in the country.
She said that the objective is to empower students to be self-assured and capable that they don’t seek employment post-education but instead become creators of employment opportunities.
Under the ‘Business Blasters’ program, students in Classes 11 and 12 at Delhi government schools receive seed money of Rs 2,000 each. This financial support enables them to collaborate with peers and formulate a business model with the potential for profit.
Atishi expressed satisfaction with the program’s outcomes, revealing that students are successfully earning money through their startups in various domains such as logistics, online gaming portals, Bluetooth speakers, dark chocolate, nutritional supplements, and beauty products.
Atishi announced in the Assembly that at their government’s IIIT Delhi, Anant Sharma, an ordinary student, embarked on an entrepreneurial journey during his graduation days in 2019. He found “Tweek Labs”, a startup that harnessed a groundbreaking discovery in sports technology. His company progressed so much that Anant secured a spot on the renowned business reality show Shark Tank.
She also said that Anant’s narrative highlights that if a talent gets support from the government, the youth can make a significant impact on the world.
Furthermore, she announced that the ‘Business Blasters Senior’ program is scheduled to launch in Delhi government-funded universities in the academic year 2024-25.
Lastly, she said that if just 5 percent of the 40,000 business ideas nurtured in their schools turn out to be successful, both Delhi and the entire country could see the emergence of 2,000 companies within the next decade.
The finance minister introduced a budget of Rs 76,000 crore for the fiscal year 2025, asserting that it was crafted under the inspiration of the vision of ‘Ram Rajya.’
