Idea Bank

India, a vibrant and diverse country, presents a vast array of opportunities that can serve as a wellspring of inspiration for startups seeking innovative business ideas. With its burgeoning market, rapidly expanding digital landscape, and diverse consumer base, India offers fertile ground for entrepreneurial ventures. Furthermore, the Indian government has shown a keen interest in fostering an environment conducive to startup growth.

The possibilities are boundless for startups that are willing to embrace the challenges, tap into the potential, and forge their path in this exciting landscape. The following aspects exemplify the wide array of challenges faced by India and the potential ideas for startups to embrace.

What is the problem? Food waste or food loss refers to uneaten or discarded food. In Indian households, a concerning quantity of 68,000,000+ tonnes of food is squandered each year, equating to an average of approximately 50 kilogrammes per person. Even after producing more food than it needs, 220 million people go hungry in India every day, and as a result, India ranks a disappointing 107 among 121 countries in the Global Hunger Index. This wastage has a knock-on effect on the environment, as the efforts made to produce it generate greenhouse gases, use water, and can lead to deforestation.
What is the government doing? The Indian government is making efforts to curb the wastage of food by setting up mega food parks, new storage facilities, food banks, making distribution more efficient, and distributing excess grains.
What can you do? Some avenues that can be explored are educating farmers on good storage practices, recycling and composting, providing transportation and storage facilities, redistributing leftover food from parties and events, and setting up compost plants and food waste management platforms.
How will your ideas help? Implementing solutions to reduce or eliminate food waste in India would address a range of interconnected issues, benefiting the country in numerous ways. These solutions would have a positive impact on widespread malnutrition, hunger, deforestation, groundwater depletion, and carbon emissions, among other challenges.
Concerned Ministries: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

What is the problem? The Indian Railways is the fourth largest railway network in the world, with over 22,593 operating trains carrying over 24 million passengers every day. However, it is also rife with problems such as unhygienic platforms and coaches, rodent-infested pantries, malfunctioning washrooms, and theft. This has been a major cause of concern as it makes the journey uncomfortable and insecure for the passengers and increases the chances of illness.
What is the government doing? The government has started a plethora of initiatives, such as an automatic railway coach washing plant for exterior cleaning of trains, the installation of upgraded toilets for existing coaches, and installing KAVACH anti-collision technology to prevent train accidents with the help of radio technology and global positioning systems (GPS). The KAVACH system avoids the risk of collision by precisely assessing the course of two trains at collision risk" and automatically initiating the braking system.
What can you do? Some avenues that can be explored are web-based solutions to track hygiene standards maintained at platforms, toilets that process human waste, advanced food storage systems to keep rodents and pests in check, developing tech-based solutions for 100% electrification of trains, upgrading signalling and communication systems, and maintaining the safety of passengers and their luggage.
How will your ideas help? Developing techniques, and technologies, and allocating resources to establish a cleaner and safer railway system in India would benefit millions of daily railway commuters in the country.
Concerned Ministries: Ministry of Railways.

What is the problem? Quality education and an employable workforce are critical for a rapidly developing country such as India. However, maintaining the standard of education in more than 1.5 million schools nationwide⁸ Offering training programs to teachers and keeping good balance with the education system worldwide has been a big challenge for the Indian government.
What is the government doing? The Indian government has implemented various measures to tackle this issue. Programs like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan aim to tackle challenges related to school infrastructure, teacher quality and training, and filling vacancies. Furthermore, there has been a significant three-fold increase in the government budget allocated for quality education under the Rashtriya Uchhatar Shiksha Abhiyan. The Global and Digital Initiative for Academic Network has been launched with the aim to internationalise education and bring renowned professors from global universities to India. ⁹
What can you do? There are potential opportunities in the form of social enterprises that prioritise expanding access to formal education for students, recognising and rewarding high-achieving students, implementing interactive teaching methods utilising internet and mobile technologies, and introducing educational programs that explain concepts in local languages to enhance student comprehension.
How will your ideas help? Solutions to provide quality education to Indian students in the most economical and holistic way will play a key role in driving the economic engine of India. These solutions will play a key role in determining whether India’s demographic situation will be an asset or a liability for the country.
Concerned Ministries: Ministry of Human Resource Development; Ministry of Science and Technology; Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

What is the problem? India is home to over 1.36 billion residents; over 2.2 per cent of this population endures some form of severe mental or physical disability. This indicates that a considerable portion of India's population experiences disabilities, and the ongoing problem is that individuals with disabilities are marginalised and excluded from society. They encounter various challenges in their everyday lives, including limited access to buildings, inadequate healthcare services, an educational system that lacks inclusivity, and pervasive discrimination and stigmatization.
What is the government doing? The government has undertaken a number of initiatives, such as BADHTE KADAM to carry out activities for increasing the awareness about Person with Disability (PwD) covered under the National Trust Act, the SAMBHAV scheme to setup additional resource centres in each city, the SAHYOGI scheme to set up carer cells (CGCs) for creating a skilled workforce of carers for PwD and their families, and various steps for enhancing accessibility to administrative buildings and transportation facilities for PwD.
What can you do? Some avenues that can be explored are design solutions that assist disabled people in accessing buildings and transport facilities; tech solutions that help in their inclusion in workplaces and society; and general sensitisation initiatives.
How will your ideas help? Initiatives and solutions aimed at improving the social standing of individuals with disabilities and enhancing their daily lives hold immense promise in India. These efforts have the potential to not only alleviate the stigma associated with disabilities but also enable them to actively participate in society and contribute to the country's economic growth.
Concerned Ministries: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

What is the problem? Despite being the world's most populous nation, India won only 7 medals in the last Tokyo 2020 Olympics. India has the potential to produce a steady stream of world-class talent that can bring medals at a global level. The issue lies not in the scarcity of talent but rather in systemic shortcomings that have led to India's historically underwhelming performance at the Olympics. Major contributing factors include inadequate infrastructure, insufficient funding, and a cultural underemphasis on sporting activities.
What is the government doing? The government has started a number of initiatives to promote sports and sportspeople in India. Khelo India aims to encourage the participation of school students in sports; the Target Olympic Podium Scheme assists elite sports professionals who are capable of bringing Olympic glory for the country; and the Special Area Games Scheme for scouting and nurturing natural talent from remote areas.
What can you do? There are potential avenues to explore, such as leveraging technology and scientific expertise to enhance athletes' performance, introducing initiatives that offer talented young individuals a platform to showcase their abilities, and developing strategies to better cater to the nutritional requirements of athletes.
How will your ideas help? Sports have the power of bringing positive transformation to society. Solutions and ideas to overcome this challenge of engaging young children in sports and providing the right infrastructure and quality training from the start have huge potential for our nation. An impressive performance in the Olympics will lead to increasing awareness about sports in our country, which in turn will lead to the rapid growth of the sports and nutrition industry in India.
Concerned Ministries: Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports

What is the problem? India has the second-largest road network in the world. The number of cars sold in the country is increasing day by day, and so is the congestion and instances of road rage. Road crashes are an epidemic in India. According to the World Bank, they kill and disable over 900,000 people every year, more than anywhere in the world, costing India $156 billion. Speeding and driving on the wrong side of the road are the top Traffic Rule violations that cause road deaths. There is an urgent requirement to devise approaches and remedies for managing the rising congestion in India, particularly in the metropolitan cities, while simultaneously enhancing the prevailing driving conditions and discipline.
What is the government doing? The government has undertaken a number of initiatives, such as constructing new highway projects across the country and creating web-based platforms like Road Asset Management Systems (RAMS) for the management of road assets, including national highways and state highways.
What can you do? There are potential paths to explore, such as the development of technology-driven solutions capable of effectively managing traffic flow, identifying and monitoring instances of traffic violations, and comprehending the challenges faced by the existing road network.
How will your ideas help? Solutions and ideas to decongest roads and better manage the traffic flow have the potential to not only increase the productivity of the Indian workforce but to also save significant economic and social costs for the Indian economy.
Concerned Ministries: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways

What is the problem? In a country like India where a significant proportion of the population is engaged in agriculture, adoption of crop insurance is extremely important. The unusual weather patterns disrupt the normal growth and development of crops, leading to widespread damage across multiple states. Farmers affected by this face significant financial challenges as their expected income from the crop gets severely impacted. This lack of adoption of crop insurance in India and the unpredictable nature of monsoons have led to major issues such as farmer suicides.
What is the government doing? The government has introduced a number of schemes and measures to help farmers with crop insurance, the most notable being the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana [2]. This scheme aims to bring more farmers under the protection of crop insurance and help them get back on their feet in case crops fail.
What can you do? Avenues that can be explored include forming self-help groups or organisations that provide crop insurance to farmers at minimal premiums, initiatives to educate farmers about the benefits of crop insurance, developing tech solutions for weather forecasting and remote sensing to predict crop yield, helping in calculating crop risk coverage and premium, and finding a credible crop insurance company.
How will your ideas help? Solutions and ideas to bring crop insurance to more farmers will play a pivotal role in making agriculture an attractive sector once again, increase the output and productivity of farmlands, and most importantly, help stem farmer suicides.
Concerned Ministries: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers; Ministry of Finance

What is the problem? India ranks as the eighth most polluted in the world, with cities like Delhi being among the most polluted globally. The impact of air pollution on public health is significant, causing a high number of premature deaths, reduced life expectancy, and increased risk of non-communicable diseases. The economic losses due to air pollution amount to billions of dollars annually, posing a substantial burden on India's GDP. India is also struggling with widespread pollution of its water bodies, the case in point being the Yamuna River.
What is the government doing? In recent years, the government has taken a number of steps to fight the rising pollution. Schemes and programs such as the National River Conservation Programme to protect rivers from pollution and enhance water quality and the National Green Tribunal to implement action plans for the restoration of water quality in the identified polluted stretches of rivers have been initiated. The National Clean Air Programme has been launched in conjunction with state governments to come up with specific targets along with setting up a comprehensive action plan by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change.
What can you do? The avenues that can be explored are solutions easing the adoption of electric vehicles, reducing stubble burning, improving water quality in Indian rivers, improving waste management, reducing waste in industries, etc.
How will your ideas help? Implementing effective solutions to address the issue of pollution will not only aid in combating one of the most critical challenges confronting the nation but also contribute to boosting economic output and creating employment opportunities.
Concerned Ministries: Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change; Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

What is the problem? Vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, zika virus, swine flu, chikungunya, and nipah are on the rise. According to the National Centre for Vector Borne Disease Control, about 2,33,251 dengue cases and 303 deaths were documented in 2022 across India. The data shows the seriousness of these diseases and how they can prove fatal to patients.
What is the government doing? The government has undertaken a slew of initiatives to eradicate vector-borne diseases from India, including massive awareness programs and vaccination drives.
What can you do? Some avenues that can be explored are developing smart traps, efficient mosquito repellents, and biological variations that can reduce the mosquito populations in problematic areas.
How will your ideas help? Vector-borne diseases are responsible for a significant number of deaths every year and have a significant impact on the healthy population of the country, causing financial loss. Innovative solutions that can tackle this efficiently and effectively will be a major step towards reducing the incidence of diseases in India.
Concerned Ministries: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; Ministry of Jal Shakti

What is the problem? Women's safety is a big challenge in India. India is unfortunately the ninth most dangerous country for women and fifth for intimate partner violence. About 86 rape cases are reported every day, and this trend has not shown a downward trajectory in the last couple of years, making it a pressing issue.
What is the government doing? The Indian government has launched several initiatives to tackle the problem of women’s safety in the country and introduce a shift in the general mindset of people. Initiatives such as the Tejaswini Women Safety and Empowerment Campaign and the State Women’s Cell to monitor delays and shortfalls in the investigation of crimes against women. The creation of the Shakti app that allows women to send a distress call to the police and family in case of emergency, etc. has been launched.
What can you do? Some avenues that can be explored are safety measures such as wearables that can inform the authorities or nearby people in case of an emergency, devices or applications that can identify or track the aggressors, and initiatives that sensitise people towards the issue of women’s safety.
How will your ideas help? The need for creative concepts, practical solutions, and strategic approaches to ensure the safety of women is pressing. This is vital not only to provide women with a life free from fear but also to unlock their vast potential. By tackling these issues, we not only empower women to overcome barriers but also catalyse a positive transformation in societal attitudes.
Concerned Ministries: Ministry of Women and Child Development; Ministry of Law and Justice; Ministry of Home Affairs

What is the problem? India generates 62 million metric tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) annually. Out of the 43 million metric tonnes of MSW collected, about 31 million end up in landfills, while only 12 million undergo treatment. By 2050, India will need 88 square kilometres of land for waste disposal. This is a major problem, as unprocessed waste or waste dumped in open dumpsites is an environmental hazard and causes public health issues, environmental degradation, and resultant climate change.
What is the government doing? The Government of India launched the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) in 2014 with the objective to scientifically process all the municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in the country. To carry forward the progress made, Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM-U) 2.0 has been launched in 2021 for a period of five years with a vision of achieving garbage-free status for all cities through 100% source segregation, door-to-door collection, and scientific management of all fractions of waste, including safe disposal in scientific landfills. It is also aimed at remediation of all legacy dumpsites and converting them into green zones.
What can you do? There are possibilities to explore innovative solutions that enable the sorting of waste before disposal, ensuring effective treatment. Additionally, devices capable of generating useful products from waste as well as the establishment of recycling plants offer promising avenues for addressing the issue.
How will your ideas help? Innovative ideas to overcome the problem of inefficient waste management are crucial in a growing economy such as India because a lack of a proper waste management system is a health and environmental hazard.
Concerned Ministries: Ministry of Jal Shakti; Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change

What is the problem? The crime rates in India have been a growing concern. There was a decline of 7.6% in registered cognisable crimes in 2021 compared to the previous year, which is an encouraging development. While Indian Penal Code (IPC) crimes decreased by 13.9%, Special and Local Laws (SLL) crimes increased by 3.7%. Identifying effective methods of addressing these is vital for effective judiciary and public trust.
What is the government doing? A number of initiatives across states have been introduced to monitor and track timely resolution of crimes against women. Many innovative emergency response systems have also been developed for the police to rescue women in distress. On the cyber security front, the government has developed schemes like the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) Scheme.
What can you do? There are potential avenues to explore, including the development of devices that can alert friends and family members in the event of a threat or crime. Furthermore, innovative ideas for improved monitoring of vulnerable areas and solutions for better tracking and predicting potential crimes can be explored.
How will your ideas help? What is currently essential is the implementation of innovative and technological solutions that prioritise the prevention of crimes before they occur. By doing so, not only can valuable time and effort be saved in the resolution process, but also numerous individuals can be spared from becoming victims.
Concerned Ministries: Ministry of Law and Justice; Ministry of Home Affairs; Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

What is the problem? India has 18 percent of the world’s population but only 4 percent of its water resources, making it among the most water-stressed in the world. Many Indians face high to extreme water stress, according to a recent report by the government’s policy think tank, the NITI Aayog. India’s dependence on an increasingly erratic monsoon for its water requirements increases this challenge. Climate change is likely to exacerbate this pressure on water resources, even as the frequency and intensity of floods and droughts in the country increase.
What is the government doing? The Indian government is addressing this issue with utmost seriousness and has initiated several initiatives and strategies to ensure access to clean drinking water for all and improve water management across the country. The Government of India has established the National Water Mission as one of the eight national missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change. Also, the World Bank is supporting the government’s national groundwater program, the Atal Bhujal Yojana, to help improve groundwater management.
What can you do? Some avenues that can be explored are building check dams and catchment areas with local communities, developing micro-water filtration and water recycling devices, and solutions to check water waste across the country.
How will your solutions help? Innovative and implementable solutions are the need of the hour to stem this potential country-wide water crisis and make sure that India’s citizens get access to the elixir of life.
Concerned Ministries: Ministry of Jal Shakti

What is the problem? As per the WHO 2020 report, 54% of the global population (4.2 billion people) used a safely managed sanitation service. In India, that number was lower at nearly 46% (589 mil), which is 14% of the world total. With regards to water, 78% of the sewage generated remains untreated. A research study by BMC Public Health concluded that diarrhoeal disease is common among children living in rural areas, scheduled castes, and children in poor families and is a result of environmental factors, stool disposal practices, and habitation infrastructure such as thatch roofs and dirt floors.
What is the government doing? With the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission in 2014, the increased policy emphasis on school sanitation was seen in the Indian government’s campaign slogan of ‘toilets before temples’ and the subsequent launch of the Swachh Bharat, Swachh Vidyalaya (SBSV), Clean India, Clean Schools initiative in 2015 that aimed to provide universal access to sex-segregated toilets in all 1.2 million government schools. Another aim of the SBSV is to improve the WASH curriculum and teaching methods while promoting hygiene practices and community ownership of water and sanitation facilities within schools. Additionally, various regional initiatives have been undertaken to further improve hygiene conditions in different parts of the country.
What can you do? Potential paths to explore include the provision of affordable and sustainable sanitation solutions, the development of environmentally friendly hygiene products, and the establishment of easily accessible public restrooms.
How will your solutions help? Easy access to sanitation can have a marked improvement in the health of Indian citizens. It also enables a clean environment and better waste management.
Concerned Ministries: Ministry of Jal Shakti; Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

What is the problem? India has 190 million adults without a bank account. India’s record of financial inclusion, despite the existence of a large and well-regulated financial system dominated by commercial banks, is poor. A strong financial system, which has diverse functionalities and is flexible and user-friendly enough to accommodate all levels of financial literacy, can make a huge difference in the Indian economy. Financial inclusion has also been identified as an enabler for 7 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
What is the government doing? The Indian government has implemented significant reforms to integrate more people into the formal financial system. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) aims to address the unbanked population in India, while the Atal Pension Yojana places a strong emphasis on the inclusion of economically vulnerable sections of society. The Reserve Bank of India, in its Mid-Term Review of Monetary Policy, has encouraged banks to focus on financial inclusion.
What can you do? Some avenues that can be explored are innovative solutions that can explain the benefits of the formal financial system to people in rural areas in vernacular languages, ideas to incentivise and help individuals get connected to public banks and government schemes.
How will your solutions help? Bringing more individuals under the formal financial system can help these people get access to a plethora of facilities such as insurance, subsidised loans, saving schemes, and investment opportunities. This helps them grow their income and savings and also avail the various benefits that the government has made available.
Concerned Ministries: Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

What is the problem? India is facing a serious shortage of skilled manpower, HR firm TeamLease's report titled 'Skills strategies for a strong, sustainable, and balanced world of work' said. The company's assessment of the competency of the workforce in the technology space finds that only 49% of professionals between the ages of 22 and 25 are employable. This is a huge red flag for a country like India where the number of job seekers is only going to increase in the coming years as it will contribute to rising unemployment while a number of highly skilled roles will remain unfilled.
What is the government doing? The Indian government’s flagship initiative, Skill India, along with the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, were the most prominent steps taken by the government to upskill the Indian workforce
What can you do? Possible avenues for exploration include implementing training and apprenticeship programs to equip young graduates with industry-specific skills, creating web-based courses that educate individuals about the fourth industrial revolution, and innovating the school curriculum to better align with the evolving needs of the future.
How will your solutions help? Upskilling and reskilling of the Indian workforce is an unparalleled opportunity, as it will play a massive role in catalysing the young workforce of India and helping them gain the relevant skills to bag the highly skilled and high-paying roles.
Concerned Ministries: Ministry of Labour and Employment; Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

What is the problem? The Public Distribution System (PDS) of India has been criticised for its inefficiencies and its failure to serve the poorer sections of the population effectively. In fact, according to a central government’s report to the Supreme Court, 69% of deaths in children under 5 years were due to malnutrition.
What is the government doing? The central government as well as the state governments have come up with a number of options and ideas to fight the problems plaguing PDS, including the introduction of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), linking the Aadhar Card with the Ration Cards, and maintaining stricter control over the supply of food items through PDS.
What can you do? Some avenues that can be explored are innovative ideas to track the disbursal of the food items through PDS, devices to ensure that every unique individual is getting their share of food items, and solutions for a robust grievance process in case the benefits are not reaching their intended beneficiaries.
4 How will your solutions help? Enhancing the efficiency and efficacy of the Public Distribution System (PDS), the primary food security network, is crucial in preventing starvation, reducing hunger-related fatalities, providing a dependable food supply to the most vulnerable, and preventing price inflation caused by hoarding.
Concerned Ministries: Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution.

What is the problem? Over the next decade or two, the Indian disease control establishment will have to fight several new diseases apart from the already problematic Dengue, Chikungunya, Tuberculosis, HIV, and Covid-19. It is critical for India to have a robust system in place to identify, isolate, and effectively treat any disease outbreak to check its transition into an epidemic.
What is the government doing? The Indian government has taken strong steps to tackle diseases that have caused or can cause epidemics, along with strengthening the surveillance and response system for catching disease outbreaks early. Initiatives such as Pulse Polio, the Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination Initiative, and the strong COVID vaccination drive have been hugely successful.
What can you do? Some avenues that can be explored are innovative and affordable solutions to detect the early onset of major diseases, setting up of small hospitals in remote areas of the country, and initiatives to increase awareness and bring more people under the current government schemes.
How will your solutions help? Epidemics and outbreaks are very problematic situations for any country, as they put a lot of strain on the healthcare system of a country along with causing widespread panic and economic loss. Solutions that can tackle these problems will not only save lives but will also prevent other problems that an epidemic brings.
Concerned Ministries: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; Ministry of AYUSH.

What is the problem? According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the energy demand in India is expected to be the highest globally during the current decade due to rapid urbanisation and industrialisation. According to the report, coal generation is projected to continue to rise in absolute terms, peaking around 2030, though its share of electricity generation declines. [1] A rapid and effective shift is required in India’s current energy policy and generation methods to prevent a nationwide energy and environmental crisis in the long run.
What is the government doing? India has always shown its willingness in leadership to fight climate change. The country’s vision is to achieve net zero emissions by 2070, in addition to attaining the short-term targets, which include:
Increasing renewables capacity to 500 GW by 2030,
Meeting 50% of energy requirements from renewables
Reducing cumulative emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030, and
Reducing emissions intensity of India’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 45% by 2030.

What can you do? Some avenues that can be explored are innovative ideas to increase the implementation and efficiency of renewable energy devices such as solar panels, developing affordable solutions such as electric cars and home appliances that can run on renewable energy, and initiatives to increase awareness about methods to reduce everyone’s energy consumption.

How will your solutions help? Solutions to reduce India’s dependence on fossil fuels and coal to produce energy will not only have positive impacts on the environment but also significantly reduce India’s import bill, which in turn might reduce inflationary pressure on the economy. India has huge potential for renewable energy, and the ability to utilise this potential properly will fuel the next phase of India’s economic growth.

Concerned Ministry: Ministry of Coal; Ministry of Power; Ministry of Science and Technology; Ministry of New and Renewable Energy; Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas

S.No.	Next Steps	Explore These Links
1.	Learn More About Entrepreneurship	Startup India Learning & Development Course
2.	Legal Basics for Aspiring Entrepreneurs	Incorporation of a company and Legal Basics
3.	How Does the Government Help You?	Government Schemes
4.	Get, Set, Go!	Free Resources on the Startup India portal

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