Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that more than 10,000 Atal tinkering labs in 700 districts have become innovation nurseries and more importantly, 60 per cent of these labs are in government and rural schools.

He also laid a foundation stone and dedicated to nation multiple scientific projects worth more than ₹5,800 crore.

Speaking at the inaugural session of National Technology Day, the Prime Minister shared that 75 lakh plus students are working diligently on more than 12 lakh innovation projects in Atal Tinkering Lab. The Prime Minister highlighted that this demonstrates how young scientists are emerging from schools and making their way to remote areas of the country. He emphasised that it is everyone’s duty to handhold them, nurture their talent and also assist them in implementing their ideas.

Tinker-preneurs

He noted the hundreds of startups that have been incubated at Atal Innovation Centers (AIC) and said it is emerging as the new laboratories of the ‘New India’. “The Tinker-preneurs of India will soon become leading entrepreneurs of the world”, he said.

“The India of today is moving forward in every direction that is necessary to become a tech leader. The number of tech incubation centers in the country has grown from roughly 150 in 2014 to more than 650 today,” he said.

Modi also mentioned that India’s Global Innovation Index Rank has gone from 81 to the 40th position where the youth of the country are setting up their own digital ventures and startups.

Drawing comparisons with 2014, the Prime Minister mentioned that the number of startups in the country has increased from roughly 100 to one-lakh recognised startups today and it has turned India into the third-largest startup ecosystem globally.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the growth took place at a time when the world is dealing with economic uncertainty. Underlining that the present moment is extremely precious for policymakers, the scientific community, research labs spread across the country and the private sector, he reiterated that even though the School to Startup journey will be made by the students, it is the stakeholders who must guide and encourage them at all times. The Prime Minister extended his entire support for the cause.

Ease of living

The Prime Minister said that the right use of technology gives new strength to society, and the government is using technology for providing services for every stage of life. Online birth certificates, e-Pathshal and Diksha e-learning platforms, scholarship portal, universal access number during the job period, e-Sanjivini for medical treatment, and Jeevan Praman for the elderly, such solutions are helping the citizen at every step, said the Prime Minister. He also talked about initiatives in easy passports, Digi Yatra, and DigiLocker as examples of ensuring social justice and enhancing ease of living.

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