Atal Tinkering Labs Announced
- ATLs under NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission to reach every district of the country soon
- NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) has selected 3,000 additional schools for the establishment of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs), bringing the total number of ATL schools to 5,441.
- The selected schools shall receive a grant of Rs 20 lakh spread over the next five years to establish Atal Tinkering Labs for nurturing innovation and entrepreneurial spirit among secondary school children across India.
- “These additional 3,000 schools will greatly expand the reach of the ATL program, increasing the number of children exposed to tinkering and innovation and providing access to the young innovators of India to technologies like 3D Printing, Robotics, IoT and microprocessors”, said Shri Ramanathan Ramanan, MD, Atal Innovation Mission.
- These additional schools will facilitate the creation of over One Million Neoteric Child Innovators by 2020. ATLs will function as innovation hubs for these student innovators to explore solutions to unique local problems which they come across in their everyday lives. These new additions take the number of ATLs to 5,441 representing all states and five out of seven union territories.
- With these new schools, NITI Aayog’s AIM envisions strong growth in the collaborative ecosystem created by the ATL initiative, where students, teachers, mentors and industry partners work to facilitate innovation, foster scientific temper and an entrepreneurial spirit in the children of today, who will go on to become successful contributors to nation-building tomorrow.
- These newly selected schools will be contacted soon with all details regarding the formalities they have to complete to receive the grant and establish the Atal Tinkering Lab on their premises.
Background:
- The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is the Government of India’s flagship initiative to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in the country. AIM is mandated to create an umbrella structure to oversee innovation ecosystem of the country and revolutionizing the innovation eco-system – touching upon the entire innovation lifecycle through various programs. The Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATLs) create innovators, Atal Incubation Centres and support to Established Incubation Centre ensure that innovations are taken to the market and help create enterprises around these innovations.
Shri Rijiju proposes India and the UK elevate bilateral dialogue on counter-terrorism to the ministerial level
- A delegation from the United Kingdom led by the Minister of State for Countering Extremism and Minister for Equalities, Baroness Williams of Trafford, held talks with the Indian delegation led by the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju here today.
- The discussions covered a variety of important issues ranging from cooperation in matters of migration, tackling extremism, extradition, sharing of criminal records etc. During the meeting, Shri Rijiju also called for the implementation of the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to check money laundering and terrorist financing.
- While underlining the need for cooperation in fighting international terrorism, Shri Rijiju said terrorism cannot be viewed with a prismatic view and urged the UK Minister to check anti-India activities on its soil.
- Baroness Williams assured cooperation of the highest level on this issue. Raising the issue of fugitive tycoons wanted by New Delhi for frauds and financial misappropriations, Shri Rijiju said Britain should not be viewed as a safe haven for men wanted by the law of the other country for various offences. He said while India respects the courts and will pursue the legal procedures in Britain to bring back wanted men, New Delhi expects the cooperation of the UK Government.
- Allaying concerns over prison conditions in India, Shri Rijiju said there are absolute safeguards against Human Rights violations in Indian prisons.
- In response to the UK Minister’s request for facilitating repatriation of illegal migrants, Shri Rijiju said that while the issue of timeframes is important, Government would like to reassure itself about the completion of verification before repatriation process begins. Shri Rijiju also lauded the cooperation of the UK Government on various international forums.
To ace UPSC current affairs section, read more PIB articles here.
Comments