Apps developed under ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat app challenge’ get praise from PM Modi

The challenge was launched by Meity to find an alternative to the Chinese apps that were banned by the Modi government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his monthly radio broadcast Mann Ki Baat on Sunday highlighted the innovation potential of the country’s youth by drawing attention to the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s (Meity) Atmanirbhar application (app) challenge that aims to showcase that India could become a self-reliant nation.

File photo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi.(PTI)

“Dear countrymen, everyone acknowledges the capability of Indians to offer innovation and solutions. When there is dedication and sensitivity, this power becomes limitless. At the beginning of this month (August) an app innovation challenge was put before the country’s youth,” said PM Modi.

“Under #AtmaNirbharBharat App innovation challenge, there is the KutukiKids learning app. This is an interactive app for children that teaches several aspects such as mathematics and science through songs and stories,” he added.

The challenge was launched by Meity to find an alternative to the Chinese apps that were banned by the Modi government after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops on June 15.

The applications securing the first, second and third positions will get a cash reward of Rs20 lakh, Rs15 lakh and Rs10 lakh, respectively.

Meity has been launching successive challenges in a bid to promote the Modi government’s flagship scheme, Make in India.

The most recent challenge to be launched is Chunauti, which aims to identify 300 start-ups and funnel over Rs 95 crore to boost software products in the country. Chunauti focuses on Tier-II towns.

Each selected start-up will be provided Rs25 lakh as seed funding along with other facilities.

“I urge the young, talented innovators of India to come forward and avail the benefits of the Chunauti challenge and create new software products,” said minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who heads the ministry.

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