Now, Telangana to find innovators, help them

Telangana State Innovation Cell is planning to deploy District Innovation Fellows (DIFs) in each district to scout, identify and coordinate with the innovators

Hyderabad: This, perhaps, happens only in Telangana. While in other States, innovators run from pillar to post looking for support and guidance, Telangana is preparing to scout for promising innovators who can address issues in different fields with their innovations.

The Telangana State Innovation Cell (TSIC) is planning to deploy District Innovation Fellows (DIFs) in each district to scout, identify and coordinate with the innovators. Apart from identifying the innovators, the DIFs will serve as a bridge between them and TSIC in taking their innovation ideas further.

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The idea was to help innovators in rural areas to scale up their skills, projects and facilitate them in delivering their products into the market. Despite their talent, most innovators due to lack of awareness or guidance on government’s schemes or financial constraints, tend to give up on their projects, TSIC Chief Innovation Officer Shanta Thoutam said.

TSIC is now planning to deploy DIFs, who will be paid a monthly stipend for scouting in their respective districts and identifying promising innovators and their works, she said, adding that they wanted to approach innovators rather they coming to the government looking for help.

These DIFs could be students, teachers, retired employees and others. They can work on part time basis and help the TSIC in reaching out to the innovators. Once, the innovators get in contact with the TSIC, all the required support, including loan facilities would be arranged.

Before deploying the DIFs into the field, the TSIC will sensitize them on their role and conducting training sessions. Serving as DIFs would help the students a lot as there would be lot of exposure, scope for improving their communication skills, working for their course projects etc, she added. TSIC is working on deploying one DIF in each district and if required more DIFs would be sanctioned as per necessity.

Intinta Innovator programme on August 15

Hyderabad: The Telangana State Innovation Cell is conducting the fifth edition of the annual ‘Intinta Innovator’ programme on August 15. Deadline for filing application is August 5 and innovators can share their innovations on WhatsApp number 91006 78543.

The programme is aimed at encouraging innovators from rural areas to showcase their innovations and projects. It also serves as a platform between the innovators, administration and prospective investors.