Innovative technologies to help fulfil New India vision, says Gadkari

New Delhi: Innovative technologies and models which are corruption-free will help fulfil the Prime Minister's New India vision, Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday.

At the launch of the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)'s Atal New India Challenge, he also said that his ministry is ready to sponsor dedicated research into transport infrastructure and bring innovation into this sector.

Under the Atal New India Challenge, in collaboration with five ministries, AIM will invite innovators to design market-ready products, using cutting edge technologies across 17 areas such as Smart Mobility, Predictive Maintenance of Rolling Stock and Waste Management.

Under the challenge, grants of up to Rs 1 crore and mentorship will be given to the winning ideas.

NITI Aayog vice chairman Rajiv Kumar said that AIM, which under by the government think tank, is based on a completely unique and innovative model within the government system.

NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said the challenges have been chosen after rigourous consultations and discussions with partner ministries such as road transport, railways, agriculture and water & sanitation.

"The Atal New India Challenge is an innovative programme, facilitated by dynamic ministries, which will help solve problems pertinent to India," Kant added.

The grant will be further supplemented by mentoring, handholding, incubating and other support as needed at various stages of commercialisation, while generating wider deployment for the product.