Coal India to build an innovation ecosystem in India

New Delhi: Maharatna coal PSU Coal India Limited (CIL) on Friday said that it will support various initiatives of Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog to accelerate the growth and to build an innovation ecosystem in India. In this regards, Coal India has signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) with AIM – NITI Aayog on Friday. This information has been shared by the coal PSU in a tweet on June 19.

As per this SOI, Coal India will collaborate with NITI Aayog's flagship program, Atal Innovation Mission, to support various initiatives of AIM (Atal Innovation Mission) programs such as Atal New India Challenge (ANIC), Atal Incubation Centre (AIC), Atal Community Innovation Centers (ACIC), Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) and Atal Research & Innovation for Small Enterprises (ARISE). The intent of this collaboration is to conduct various activities and programs in support of awareness and promotion of innovation ecosystem through AIM programs.

Coal India Limited's Director (Technical) Binay Dayal signed the SOI on behalf of CIL and AIM's Mission Director R Ramanan signed on behalf of NITI Aayog. While Coal India Limited's Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) Pramod Agrawal, Coal India's Director (Personnel & Industrial Relations) RP Srivastava, Coal India's Director (Finance) Sanjiv Soni and Coal India's Director (Marketing) SN Tiwari were also present on the occasion.

While speaking on the occasion Agarwal said: "CIL is proud to announce the partnership with AIM, NITI Aayog and we are excited to take this forward in the most significant contribution towards the mission which would further strengthen India's innovation ecosystem."

Meanwhile, according to the SoI signed, the partnership has been categorised program wise were in under Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) CIL has agreed for the adoption of select ATLs Schools, help in conducting teacher training sessions and providing mentoring support to ATL students via Mentors of Change.

Similarly, under Atal Community Innovation Centres (ACICs), CIL has agreed for adoption and support of ACICs close to their areas of operation, supporting the youth in their journey of societal innovation, hosting community innovation challenges and other innovation-based events to spread the impact of the innovation ecosystems being built in the under-served regions of the country.

Atal Innovation Mission

The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is a flagship initiative set up by the NITI Aayog to promote innovation and entrepreneurship across the length and breadth of the country, based on a detailed study and deliberations on innovation and entrepreneurial needs of India in the years ahead.

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