ATAL INNOVATION MISSION

Description

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Context - The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare has launched the Atal Innovation Mission- PRIME Playbook & Start-up showcase.

Details

The Minister has stated that the AIM PRIME (Atal Innovation Mission - Program for Researchers in Innovation, Market Readiness and Entrepreneurship) program will serve an important purpose of creating strong indigenous manufacturing capabilities in all critical sectors.

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)

The Atal Innovation Mission was initiated by the NITI Aayog in 2016 to promote innovation and entrepreneurship across the country.
The main objective of the mission is to create and promote an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship at schools, universities, Research institutions, MSMEs and Industry levels.
Under the Mission, Atal Tinkering Labs are established to promote a creative, innovative mindset in schools.
- At the school level, AIM is setting up state of the art Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) across all districts across the country.
- These ATLs are dedicated innovation workspaces on the latest technologies like 3D Printers, Robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), etc.
Atal Innovation Tinkering challenges are regularly held in the school as well as by AIM every month to ensure students' active involvement in creating innovative solutions to solve problems in their community and the country.
Atal Incubators to Promote entrepreneurship in universities and industry.
Atal Community Innovation Centres to promote the benefits of technology to the underserved regions of India including Tier 2, Tier 3 cities, Aspirational districts, tribal, hilly and coastal areas.
Mentor of Change: To encourage a vibrant ecosystem of innovation, AIM is promoting active collaboration between Government, Academia, Industry, Individuals and Societal focused NGOs.

NITI Aayog

The creation of the Planning Commission was Inspired by the USSR/Soviet Model, the Prime Minister established a Planning Commission in 1950 to design the five-year Plans for India.
- In 2015, it was replaced by a new organisation named National Institution for Transforming India (NITI).
Promote Cooperative Federalism
- The Governing Council of NITI Aayog has Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories and State Chief Ministers.
- NITI Aayog Constituted a Committee of State Chief Ministers to examine important issues.
Promote Competitive Federalism
- NITI Aayog has Prepared online dashboards to rank the States on various indicators of development Such as;
  - Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index.
  - Health Index.
  - School Education Quality Index.
  - Digital Transformation Index.
- Launched Aspirational District Programs for monitoring the Progress of backward districts.
NITI Aayog has not been given the mandate or Powers to impose Policies on States.
- NITI Aayog is a think tank or an advisory body.
The Powers for allocation of funds have not been given to the NITI Aayog. The Powers are with the Finance Ministry.
As a ‘think-tank’, Niti Aayog has helped the government In framing various Policies on;
- Clean energy
- Methanol based economy
- Infrastructure, human development etc.
- The model acts on agricultural land leasing, livestock Selling etc.
NITI Aayog regularly organises Seminars, Workshops, and Conferences.
NITI initiated Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) to help Startups. NITI is developing the National Program on Artificial Intelligence.
NITI’s approach is modernised, forward-looking, and less bureaucratic; NITI Aayog is playing an important role as a think tank for Economic growth, Human development and Good governance in India.