What start-up bosses want from FM: Re-skilling women staff, improved access to capital for ladies; revamped National Creche Scheme to help mothers

We are just weeks ahead of the Union Budget announcement and all eyes are on Nirmala Sitharaman as she unveils the Union Budget on July 5.

Lady bosses in Start-Up Inc, across the spectrum, are also ready with their own wishlist. And their expectations revolve around better representation of women in the workforce, tax benefits, and better allowances during the maternity period. They also urged quicker implementation of schemes introduced earlier for start-ups.

Here's a round-up of what some start-up leaders want:

Priyanka Gill, Founder & CEO, Luxeva Ltd (POPxo, Plixxo and Luxeva)

“Now that we have a stable government at the Centre, I hope it will ensure the successful and speedy implementation of more than 150 schemes and policies that the BJP government introduced for start-ups last year. After a massive victory, it’s time to prioritise the start-up ecosystem’s demands from the Finance Minister and the new government in the new Budget. We should expect Budget 2019 may offer tax benefits for start-ups and simpler norms for ESOPs.


"Hopefully, Modi 2.0 will also look into norms on how international investors who are bullish on the India story - echoing the sentiments of the domestic market. We look forward to seeing how Ms. Sitharaman will stamp her authority in establishing a framework for the creation of a ‘Seed Startup Fund’ which was laid earlier.”

Pallavi Chopra, VP and Head of Marketing, redBus

"We are witnessing a sharp fall in women’s participation in the labour force in India over the years. It is extremely important for the government to initiate measures to reverse this trend, such as empowering women by facilitating access to better quality education and by re-skilling that imparts more employable skill sets.

"The government should also motivate the private sector to employ more women by offering tax incentives to companies that reserve a significant portion of employment to women. These measures go a long way in improving women’s participation in the workforce. With our first full-time woman Finance Minister set to present the Budget early next month, we look forward to allocations and policies that are more women-friendly and have an impact."

Malini Agarwal, Founder & Creative Director, MissMalini Entertainment

"I am hopeful that this year’s Budget will recognise the importance of empowering women as an engine of growth for the Indian economy and society at large. Progressive policies that support better skill and leadership training for women, encourage more diversity in the workplace, provide easier access to capital and facilitate increased women’s participation in our formal economy are much needed.

"From targeted tax benefits to a reinvigorated National Creche Scheme and a greater focus on enforcing safety in workplaces and housing for women, the 2019 Budget can send a strong signal that our government is serious about correcting the current imbalance. I am also hopeful to see a commitment to help working families in the Budget. Enabling women to re-enter the workforce when they are ready is a sound investment, and that requires smart tax policies such as deductions for all day care related expenses.

"Digital India is another theme that I hope to see reinforced this year. Greater connectivity and digitization schemes, in particular in Tier II and III cities will translate into a real boost for the entertainment and social media industries. Aside from boosting demand through greater access, the government should also encourage supply by encouraging more investment in the entertainment industry, which in turn will also spur job creation in the sector. It was encouraging to see the entertainment industry receive attention in the Interim Budget 2019 and I hope we see more of this trend on July 5."