Niti Aayog launches 'Grand Innovation Challenge' to seek citizens' inputs

The NITI Aayog on Friday launched the first phase of the 'Grand Innovation Challenge' to seek citizens' inputs on the key developmental challenges facing India.

The 'Grand Innovation Challenge' has been launched on the MyGov portal.

The idea behind the initiative is to work together with the states and every citizen as 'team India' to ensure progress by involving common man in crowd sourcing ideas to address challenges facing India's development.

The initiative will focus on the social sector, vulnerable sections of society.

In Phase I of the Grand Innovation Challenge that will end on April 25, the NITI Aayog will seek the views of the citizens on the key challenges facing India, across areas significant for the country's development.

The idea is to find out from the critical issues which need to be addressed on a priority basis.

In Phase II, a shortlist of the urgent challenges as suggested by citizens would be prepared and innovative solutions would be sought from the people to address them using appropriate technology.

The NITI Aayog will ensure that the best, innovative solutions to pressing challenges receive full backing from the Government of India - from funding, mentoring, technical and academic support to scaling it up across the country and absorbing them in government schemes.

At the end of the phase, the NITI Aayog will identify and acknowledge 10 most pressing challenges from among those suggested by the citizens of India. The best 10 entries will receive certificates of acknowledgement from NITI Aayog.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to NITI Aayog as special guests for a discussion on the Atal Innovation Mission, along with key policy makers of the Government of India.

The move comes in the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative to reiterate the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship for India's Development at various forums.