From momos to handicrafts: How govt schemes are turning Meerut into a startup hub
Meerut is steadily emerging as a city of entrepreneurs, with government-backed startup and self-employment schemes helping young people and women transform small business ideas into
Meerut is steadily emerging as a city of entrepreneurs, with government-backed startup and self-employment schemes helping young people and women transform small business ideas into thriving enterprises. Beneficiaries of initiatives such as the Uttar Pradesh government's Chief Minister Startup Scheme and the Centre's Stand-Up India programme are not only building successful businesses but also creating jobs for dozens of others. Two such success stories—that of momos entrepreneur Rajkumar Thakur and handicraft business owner Mamta Garg—illustrate how access to timely financial assistance can change lives and generate employment at the grassroots level. Read Full Story A RS 10,000 VENTURE THAT BECAME A GROWING FOOD BUSINESS A few years ago, Rajkumar Thakur was working in a private company when he decided to pursue his dream of starting a business of his own. Determined to offer fresh and quality food products, he launched a small momos venture with an initial investment of just Rs 10,000. In the early days, Rajkumar and his wife prepared momos by hand and sold them from a modest stall. As word spread about the taste and quality of their products, demand grew steadily. Orders began coming in from local restaurants and food outlets, but meeting rising demand through manual production became increasingly difficult.
The turning point came when Rajkumar learned about the Chief Minister Startup Scheme. He applied for financial assistance and secured a loan of Rs 5 lakh. The funding enabled him to import a modern momos manufacturing machine, significantly increasing production capacity. Today, his factory produces between 6,000 and 7,000 momos every day. The business offers 29 varieties of momos to customers, while six major variants are produced on a large scale and supplied to restaurants and retail outlets across the city. His products are now available at around 30 to 35 outlets in Meerut. The enterprise has also become a source of livelihood for many others. Eight women and three men are employed directly at the factory, while nearly 50 people benefit indirectly from the business. Rajkumar operates stalls in Mangal Pandey Nagar and Jagriti Vihar, where customers flock daily during evening hours. A graduate by qualification, Rajkumar credits much of the business's growth to government support. He says purchasing an expensive production machine would have been impossible without assistance under the startup scheme. His future plans include expanding the factory further and creating additional employment opportunities. WIDOW ENTREPRENEUR BUILDS THRIVING HANDICRAFT BUSINESS Another example of entrepreneurship-driven transformation in Meerut is Mamta Garg, who has built a successful handicraft business with the help of government-backed financing.
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