Govt plans dedicated portal to support innovative ideas

Under the scheme innovators can register themselves on the portal, and could then avail themselves of help, including funding

In a move seen as providing a boost to initiatives like Startup India and Digital India launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is now planning to set up a separate online portal dedicated for technology innovators. Minister for Communication and Information and Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday said innovators can register themselves in the portal, which would help them in every way possible, including bankrolling their ideas.

"Today, we have decided that the Department of Information and Technology will create a separate portal dedicated to innovators of India. Anyone one who innovates can put forth their ideas on this portal. We will reach them and provide them support," Prasad said.

The minister added that under the Digital India initiative, the government is pushing for technology innovation across geographies. "Be it urban or rural, we will help anyone who has a great idea which has a social impact."

Though details of the portal have not yet been worked out, senior officials of the Department said it would only be open to people who come up with innovations, mainly encompassing the use of technology in sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, and education.

"Once the innovation is checked and vetted by the in-house team, the innovator and the creation would be registered. We will then get in touch with the innovator," said a senior official at the ministry.

Prasad also said in the past year, there has been a 26 per cent increase in the number of Internet users in India. Also, the government is pushing electronic manufacturing in a major way. "Something around Rs 1,17,000 crore of investments have come in," he added.

The government plans to double the number of common service centres (CSCs) in the country. Implemented under the National e-Governance Plan formulated by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology. CSCs are information and communications technology-enabled front-end service delivery points at the village level. These are instrumental in delivery of government, financial, social and private sector services in agriculture, health, education, entertainment, banking, insurance, pension and utility payments.