Bengaluru, May 28: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday asked the Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO) to explore the idea of starting a business aggregator or an E-Commerce platform on the lines of Flipkart and Amazon.
Stating that short form of the 15-year old organisation ‘JITO’ itself means victory in Hindi, Bommai exuded confidence that its members will succeed wherever they lay their hands.
“You (JITO) have got a great strength and marketing skills. You have the calibre. Why doesn’t the JITO start an aggregator firm such as Amazon and Flipkart. I am sure you will give a big competition to others,” he said after inaugurating the two-day Grand JITO Summit, a conclave and trade fair, at the Palace Grounds.
He also assured the Jain community of every assistance in launching their new business ventures in Karnataka.
Responding to Padma Shri awardee Jain Sadhvi, Acharya Chandana Sriji’s proposal to start a scientific institute in rural Karnataka, Bommai asked JITO members to start working on it and extended the state government’s support.
Lauding the entrepreneurial skills of the Jain community, Bommai said when others start a business they look at the capital they have but a Jain just starts a venture without bothering about the capital.
“What we do is ‘venture’ and what you do is ‘adventure.’ Your goodwill itself is your capital,” he added.
The Chief Minister also said the Jains grow exponentially and leave a mark in the society with their philosophy of truthfulness and non-violence and added that the community never had separatism as it mingles with the local culture wherever they go.
Underlining that the Jains had enriched Karnataka since time immemorial, Bommai said the community contributed significantly in the areas of literature, spirituality, architecture and capital building.
“The 10th century AD eminent Kannada poet Ranna was from the Jain community. Bhagwan Bahubali from Bihar attained ‘Moksha’ at Sravanabelagola in Karnataka. May the Jain community and JITO continue with your good work benefiting the society, state and the country,” the chief minister said.
More than 300 companies belonging to the Jain community and over 10 successful start-ups are taking part in two-day JITO Summit, JITO media convener Sajjanraj Mehta told PTI.
An array of cultural events will also take place during the summit, he added. (PTI)