BIHAR-GOV-013

Bihar Startup Policy 2016

Bihar's first dedicated startup policy, approved by the state cabinet on 6 September 2016 and notified the following day. It created the Rs 500 crore startup fund and the seed-grant model that the 2017 and 2022 policies inherited.

PolicyProgramme initiated

Good to know: Repealed with effect from 17 March 2017 by Bihar Start-up Policy 2017. It is the earliest dedicated startup policy in Bihar we can evidence, and the start of the lineage that runs through the 2017 and 2022 policies.

Reported figures (3)

Each figure is marked as an official statistic, a government claim or a target

Measure

Figure

As of

Type

Source

Startup venture capital fund created under the policy

Announced at cabinet approval as part of the state's 'seven resolves' programme. 22% was reserved for SC/ST entrepreneurs.

₹ 500 Cr

6 Sept 2016

Government claim

The Times of India

Allocation released from the fund

₹ 50 Cr

15 Feb 2017

Government claim

The Times of India

Seed-grant applications shortlisted by the industries department

Stated by the Chief Minister at the 4th Bihar Entrepreneurship Summit. Shortlisting is not disbursement.

98 applications

21 Mar 2017

Government claim

The Times of India

How it unfolded (6)

Each step as a dated source records it, oldest first

2015Announcement
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar promised a dedicated startup policy at the Bihar Entrepreneurship Summit.
The Times of India
6 Sept 2016Announcement
The state cabinet, chaired by the Chief Minister, approved Bihar Startup Policy 2016.
The Times of India · The Economic Times
7 Sept 2016Programme initiated
The Department of Industries notified the policy as Resolution No. 1849.
Government of Bihar, Department of Industries — Bihar Start-up Policy 2017 resolution (Memo No. 357 dated 17.03.2017) · Startup India (DPIIT), Bihar State Report
Nov 2016Programme initiated
The state cabinet approved formation of the Bihar Startup Fund Trust, to hold seed funds and monitor startups under the policy.
The Times of India
15 Feb 2017Programme initiated
The state cabinet decided to allocate Rs 50 crore of the Rs 500 crore earmarked as startup venture capital.
The Times of India
17 Mar 2017Programme initiated
Bihar Start-up Policy 2017 repealed this policy with effect from the same date.
Government of Bihar, Department of Industries — Bihar Start-up Policy 2017 resolution (Memo No. 357 dated 17.03.2017)

What's confirmed

5 sourced facts

The state cabinet approved Bihar Startup Policy 2016 on Tuesday, 6 September 2016.
The policy was notified as Resolution No. 1849 dated 7 September 2016.
It created a Rs 500 crore startup venture capital fund, with 22% reserved for SC/ST entrepreneurs, and defined a startup as under five years old with turnover below Rs 25 crore.
The state cabinet approved formation of the Bihar Startup Fund Trust in November 2016 to hold seed funds and monitor startups.
Clause 13 of the 2017 resolution states that Bihar Startup Policy 2016 'has been repealed with effect from dated 17.03.2017'.

Still to be confirmed

4 open questions

The 2016 resolution document itself was not obtained: the host biharfoundation.bihar.gov.in fails TLS negotiation. The notification number and date are attested by clause 1.5 of the 2017 resolution and, independently, by the Startup India Bihar State Report of 26 July 2020.
The cabinet approval of 6 September 2016 was reported by The Times of India and The Economic Times on the same day. These may be one briefing rendered twice rather than two independent confirmations.
How much of the Rs 500 crore fund was actually disbursed under this policy, and how many of the 98 shortlisted applications received a seed grant.
An undated, unsigned document titled 'Information & Communication Technology Policy 2011' is hosted on Invest India's asset store. It carries no memo number, gazette endorsement or signature, and a copy titled 'IT Policy 2011-Draft-English' circulates elsewhere, so whether Bihar notified an ICT policy in 2011 is unestablished.

Sources (6)

Who reported it, when, and what they cover

Publisher	Published	Covers	Link
The Times of India Established news	6 Sept 2016	• Cabinet approval on Tuesday 6 September 2016 • The Chief Minister's 2015 Entrepreneurship Summit promise • 22% of the Rs 500 crore fund reserved for SC/ST • Eligibility: under five years old, turnover under Rs 25 crore	Open source (opens in a new tab)
The Economic Times Established news	6 Sept 2016	• Approval at a cabinet meeting presided over by the Chief Minister	Open source (opens in a new tab)
The Times of India Established news	16 Nov 2016	• Cabinet approval of the Bihar Startup Fund Trust under the 2016 policy • The Trust as custodian of seed funds and monitor of startups • Rs 500 crore corpus under the seven resolves	Open source (opens in a new tab)
The Times of India Established news	21 Mar 2017	• 98 applications shortlisted for Rs 10 lakh seed money under the 2016 policy • Cabinet decision of 15 February 2017 to allocate Rs 50 crore • Cabinet approval of the amended policy on 17 March 2017	Open source (opens in a new tab)
Government of Bihar, Department of Industries — Bihar Start-up Policy 2017 resolution (Memo No. 357 dated 17.03.2017) Official government	17 Mar 2017	• Clause 1.5 cites the 2016 policy as Resolution No. 1849 dated 07.09.2016 • Clause 13: the 2016 policy was repealed with effect from 17.03.2017	Open source (opens in a new tab)
Startup India (DPIIT), Bihar State Report Official government	26 Jul 2020	• Bihar 'formulated and notified Bihar Startup Policy 2016 … dated 07th September 2016'	Open source (opens in a new tab)