'Let Us Code For an Aatmanirbhar Bharat!': PM Modi Launches Innovation Challenge To Build Tech Apps In 8 Categories

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today (Jul 4) announced the new Digital Indian AatmaNirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge aimed at improving the Indian app ecosystem. The project was launched by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in partnership with the Atal Innovation Mission and government think-tank Niti Aayog.

In a detailed Linkedin post, the PM wrote “India has a very vibrant tech and start up ecosystem, which has done India proud nationally as well as globally. Our youngsters have excelled in providing tech solutions across sectors. The Covid-19 Pandemic has also brought about a big disruption, which is being tackled through the use of technology to aid our day to day lives.

“We all know the huge potential of our market and the scale products can achieve if they can satisfy the demands of the market. Nowadays, we are seeing huge interest & enthusiasm among the start-up and tech ecosystem to innovate, develop and promote homegrown apps.” he added

Working towards the aim of creating an AatmaNirbhar Bharat, this innovation will promote existing apps and also help develop new ones.

In the first leg that has been launched today the best Indian apps that are already being used by citizens, and appear to have the potential to scale up and become world-class apps in their own categories, will be identified.

The first part of the App Innovation Challenge has cash awards and incentives for apps. The government has allocated ₹20 lakh, ₹15 lakh and ₹10 lakh for the first, second and third placed apps in each category. There may also be sub-categories, where winners will get ₹5 lakh, ₹3 lakh and ₹2 lakh for first, second and third position, respectively.

The apps will be evaluated on the parameters of ease of use, robustness, security features and scalability. The selection jury will comprise of experts from Private Sector & Academia to Evaluate

The second part of the App Innovation Challenge will seek to identify Indian startups and entrepreneurs/companies and encourage them with “ideation, incubation, prototyping” and roll out applications. This leg will go on for a longer course of a time. The details about the exact duration of this phase will be announced soon.

Further details of innovation challenge can be found here- https://innovate.mygov.in/app-challenge/