Prime Minister sets up national body for innovation

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has set up a new body - National Innovation Council - to draw up policies for fostering an environment for innovation, especially among small and medium enterprises. HT reports.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has set up a new body - National Innovation Council - to draw up policies for fostering an environment for innovation, especially among small and medium enterprises.

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Sam Pitroda, the former telecom czar and adviser to the Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations, will chair the council, a statement by the Prime Minister's Office said on Monday.

Pitroda has been tasked to prepare the road map for the decade of innovation 2010-20.

The Council has been given the mandate to evolve an Indian model of innovation focusing on inclusive growth and creating an appropriate eco system conducive to fostering inclusive innovation. It will delineate appropriate policy initiatives within the government required to spur innovation, said the press statement.

The sixteen members of the council include two members of planning commission, K Kasturirangan and Arun Maira, former director general of Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research, R Mashelkar, film director, Shekar Kapur, chairperson, Biocon, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw and former president, Nasscom, Kiran Karnik.

While encouraging all important sectors of the economy to innovate, it will take special efforts to facilitate innovation by micro small and medium enterprises, the PMO said, adding that it will also look at innovations for improving the public services delivery system.