Aatmanirbhar Bharat ARISE-Atal New India Challenges programme have been launched to support MSMEs and start-ups for making India innovative, resilient, tech-driven, and research and development (R&D)-oriented. A grant-in-aid of up to Rs 50 lakh for 9-12 months have been earmarked for start-ups to develop a minimum usable prototype.
The Niti Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), in collaboration with ISRO and four ministries – Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, will focus on challenges in 15 sectors through the programme.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari at the virtual launch for the challenge said, “MSMEs are the growth engine of the country and there are a lot of expectations from them. I am sure this initiative will help identify and promote innovations necessary for boosting this sector. We need to remove speed breaker in government programmes. We have to stop corrupt people in the system and encourage good people in the system.”
Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar said this is a red-letter day for the country, as the Atal Innovation Mission’s ARISE-Atal New India Challenges brings together some of the brightest scientific minds of India to work together for the prosperity of the country’s MSME sector.
NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant added, “Other than ISRO, which is a great promoter of technology, Indian departments and big companies never encourage and promote new startups that have done unique work. For ARISE – ANIC’s success, the government must become the first buyer. I am sure AIM will be able to break new grounds with these challenges, which will lead to the creation of new Indian products.”