Over 1 lakh people register for Maharashtra innovation challenge
The Seva First Innovation Challenge has received 1,07,603 registrations, with 71,532 participants coming from Maharashtra, according to the Deccan Chronicle.
A total of 1,07,603 people have registered for the Maharashtra Zone innovation competition, according to the Deccan Chronicle.
The competition is organised by the Department of Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation under the Seva First Innovation Challenge. Participants from Maharashtra, Goa, Chhattisgarh, and Daman and Diu have submitted 16,057 innovative ideas, with 13,367 of those coming from Maharashtra alone.
Maharashtra Minister for Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Mangal Prabhat Lodha said the initiative aims to turn creativity into practical solutions across 10 sectors, such as agriculture, healthcare, defence, and education. He noted that 1,983 ideas were submitted for agriculture, 1,976 for energy and climate change, 1,759 for education and employment, and 1,610 for artificial intelligence, blockchain and other emerging technologies.
Mr Lodha said 50 winners will each receive work orders worth Rs 10 lakh from an allocated fund of Rs 5 crore. He added that committees headed by district collectors have been formed in every district to identify the winners.
An innovation fair is expected to be organised in Mumbai or Nagpur towards the end of November with approximately 3,000 attendees. Mr Lodha said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited to the event and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has written to him regarding the fair.
The minister stated the primary objective is to provide financial support for ideas and implementation. He said that under the CM Maha Fund scheme, one lakh youths will be selected from 30 lakh young people to receive loans between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 10 lakh at lower interest rates.