12-Apr-2023: Grassroots Innovations Accelerator program announced to support grassroots innovators with entrepreneurial, product & market development
A Grassroots Innovations Accelerator program has been announced at the ongoing Festival of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (FINE) 2023, organized at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, to help grassroots innovators in farming with support for entrepreneurial, product, and market development.
The Programme announced on April 11, 2023, is a result of a partnership between the NIF Incubation and Entrepreneurship Council (NIFientreC), a TBI hosted by the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) - India, and Publicis Sapient, a digital business transformation company. The partnership will help commercialize innovations by grassroots innovators to solve challenges in agriculture and farming.
As pilot technologies for the program, prototypes of five distinct grassroots innovations were identified. These included a pepper thresher, cole vegetable harvester, mini pulses mill, clove bud separator, and walnut peeler. The innovators of these prototypes will be provided end-to-end incubation support encompassing capacity building, access to a fabrication lab, risk capital and market, and long-term support necessary to commercialize and make these innovations market ready.
NIFientreC was established in the year 2015 with financial support from the Department of Science and Technology (DST) for incubation and commercialization of technological ideas and innovations of grassroots innovators, outstanding traditional knowledge holders, and students across the country. The host institution, NIF, is an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.
This program is in sync with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 with the aim to build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. NIFientreC continues to support grassroots innovators in various ways and pave the way for wider adoption through dissemination, both through social and commercial channels.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Gulshan Rai, Chairperson, NIFientreC, said, “This one-of-a-kind Public Private Partnership Program will set an example for societal development through commercialization and scaling up of grassroots innovations, which is a step toward Aatmanirbhar Bharat.”
Expressing optimism on the partnership, Sanjay Menon, Managing Director, Publicis Sapient India, said, “We believe technology has the power to change lives, communities, and the entire world for the better. It is heartening to see the spirit of innovation among people who are building these prototypes driven by their sheer passion with no background in science and technology.”
27-Mar-2023: Micro and Small Enterprises – Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP) being implemented to enhance productivity and competitiveness
Ministry of MSME is implementing Micro and Small Enterprises – Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP) across the country including Maharashtra. The objective of the scheme is to enhance the productivity and competitiveness of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) for their holistic development adopting cluster approach through financial assistance as Government of India (GoI) grant for establishment of Common Facility Centers (CFCs) in the existing clusters and for establishment of new / up-gradation of existing Industrial Areas / Estates / Flatted Factory Complexes.
Ministry of MSME also implements the Scheme of Funds for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI) for making Traditional Industries more productive and competitive by organizing the Traditional Industries and artisans into clusters to provide support for their long-term sustainability and economies of scale.
MSE-CDP is a demand driven Central Sector Scheme, wherein, State Government sends proposals for establishment of Common Facility Centers (CFCs) and establishment /up-gradation of Infrastructure Development (ID) projects as per requirements in clusters.
SFURTI is also a demand driven Central Sector Scheme which aims to cover traditional enterprises from diverse geographies of the country, with preference to uncovered areas, new districts, including niche traditional industries. Proposals are encouraged from all corners of the country through the network of Nodal agencies including NER, Hilly areas, tribal areas, aspirational districts, etc. The projects will be appraised based on the merit, strategies, project viability, impact on artisans, etc. as per the scheme guidelines
30 projects for setting up of Common Facility Center (CFC) under MSE-CDP have been approved in Maharashtra, out of which, 14 projects are completed.
Whereas, under SFURTI 27 clusters have been approved in Maharashtra, out of which, 16 clusters are functional.
The several steps in processing the application have been simplified to expedite the approval as well as functioning of projects under MSE-CDP as per the new guidelines.
Under SFURTI, timeline for implementation of SFURTI clusters were 3 years which has been reduced to 12-18 months w.e.f. March, 2020.
24-Mar-2023: Govt approves setting up of Electronics Manufacturing Cluster at Hubli-Dharwad in Karnataka
Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Electronics & IT, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar announced in Bengaluru today the approval for setting of the Rs 180 crore worth Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) at Dharwad which is expected to create over 18,000 jobs.
The project, which is being set up at Kotur-Balur Industrial Area in Dharwad District of Karnataka under EMC 2.0 scheme, is expected to catalyse investments to the tune of over Rs 1,500 crore soon. Nine companies, including start-ups have already committed to make investment of Rs 340 crore with employment potential of 2,500 people.
“Karnataka is emerging as a global Electronics manufacturing hub for the world, just as it is already a telecom hub with Apple plants in Kolar (Wistron) and Devanahalli (Foxconn). These new investments are creating jobs and development. The Narendra Modi government is committed to build India as a manufacturing hub as part of its ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ policies,” the Minister said.
This EMC has strategic locational advantage and well connected with NH -48 (1 Km), Hubli Domestic Airport (33 Km) which will reduce the logistics/ transportation cost of the industry in the EMC.
The Centre has already approved a Common Facility Centre (CFC) for development of an advanced testing facility in Mysore, Karnataka that will meet the various testing requirement of the industry.
The Modified Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC 2.0) scheme was introduced on 1st April 2020 with an objective to create world class infrastructure along with common testing facilities, including Ready Built Factory sheds/Plug & Play infrastructure for attracting Anchor unit along with their supply chain to set up their manufacturing/production facility in the country.
Under the Scheme, three Electronics Manufacturing Clusters over an area of 1,337 acres with project cost of Rs 1,903 crore, including Central financial assistance of Rs 889 crore have been approved which projected investment target of Rs 20,910 crore.
As a result of these initiatives by the Government, India has come a long way in electronics manufacturing in the past eight years.