Harsh Vardhan dedicates innovation portal to nation

Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday dedicated to the country an innovation portal developed by the National Innovation Foundation (NIF).

The NIF, an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), is currently home to about 1.15 lakh innovations scouted from common people of the country. In terms of domain areas, presently the innovations cover energy, mechanical, automobile, electrical, electronics, household, chemical, civil, textiles, farm/cultivation practice, storage practice, plant variety, plant protection, poultry, livestock management, nutraceuticals.

Speaking on the occasion, Vardhan emphasised on the growing importance of traditional knowledge, particularly herbal practices which stem from tribal areas, and is one of the key highlights of the innovation portal. He said that this innovation portal will help institutionalise new ideas by common people towards finding solutions to local problems.

Vardhan emphasised that the innovation portal will create an ecosystem where the institutions will stand behind all those who can convert their ideas and innovations into entrepreneurship. The innovation portal in coming days could be one of the significant contributions amongst all of digital progress so far and would act as a bridge between people who are looking for innovative solutions and those who have been at the helm of their evolution, he said. He urged students, entrepreneurs, MSMEs and common people engaged in a variety of occupations to take advantage of the innovations portal and explore innovations of interest.

Speaking on the occasion, Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, DST said that this portal is being on-boarded at a very appropriate time within the innovation ecosystem of the nation, by way of coinciding with evolution of 5th National STI Policy of India.

He said the future contributors to the innovation portal will stem from the focus areas of the policy, and hence it is important that ecosystem of research and development, and innovation be created in rural and remote areas, particularly in the northeast, islands and tribal areas. Sharma explained the NIF is not only engaged in scouting for ideas but also taking them forward. The innovation portal will help create local entrepreneurs out of grassroots ideas and will help bring ideas to the market, he said.

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