Jalandhar March 2
Punjab State Council for Science & Technology (PSCST) launched a pioneering Grassroot Innovators of Punjab (GRIP) initiative. This capacity building-cum-awareness programme launched by the council at DAV University in partnership with the National Innovation Foundation, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, aimed at strengthening grassroots innovations in the state. About 200 persons participated in the event.
The programme will also provide institutional support for mapping, nurturing, and strengthening the grassroots and frugal innovations carried out by people without any scientific or technical know-how. DAV University, Jalandhar would collaborate as a knowledge partner for the GRIP.
Project Scietist Akhil Sharma during the presentation
Elaborating GRIP through an audio-visual presentation, Project Scientist Akhil Sharma said that programme had significance for Punjab and the natives of the state held an enviable reputation for their entrepreneurial spirit. Sharma said grassroot innovations lacked documentation at the state and national levels.
He said that Dr Alkesh, Principal Scientific Officer-cum-State Nodal incharge, GRIP had been ensuring wide publicity for the project through extension linkages and social media platforms. He stated that project coordinators Sanjay Nayak and Navdeep Kaur were handling queries in this regard.
Dr Jatinder Kaur Arora, Executive Director-cum-Member Secretary Punjab Biodiversity Board, who interacted through a video message, said that the programme was open to students, industry workers, rural farmers and faculty members across Jalandhar. The artisans, mechanics and self-employed entrepreneurs from rural and urban areas could also reap the benefit of the programme.
Addressing the participants, Dr Manoj Kumar, Vice Chancellor, DAV University said that the programme would serve as a platform for the discovery of new innovations. “Sometimes ordinary people surprise you with simple solutions to complex problems,” he said. Such innovations could turn into entrepreneurial ventures, and generate livelihoods for the innovator as well as society.