Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the North East Seva Innovation Challenge (NESFIC) in Guwahati on September 25. The program invites students and startups to fix 50 specific real-world problems. It targets government departments, industries, and citizen needs. Engineering colleges, ITIs, and polytechnics across the region are encouraged to join.
Sarma wants the Northeast to become a testing ground for tech. "The Northeast can emerge as one of India's living laboratories for technology and problem-solving," Sarma said. The state government aims to act as the first customer for successful startups. This bypasses typical hurdles like high turnover requirements or prior experience mandates.
The challenge covers agriculture, healthcare, climate, sustainability, mobility, tourism, and digital tech. Forty tasks come from government offices and ten from industry groups. The Health Department wants better tools for early pregnancy-induced hypertension detection, remote obstetric ultrasound access, and newborn referrals. Other needs include automatic culvert blockage detection for urban drainage and flood management systems using drones, satellites, and artificial intelligence.
Sarma cited recent floods in Sivasagar and Charaideo as evidence for why this matters. He believes extra warning time could save lives. Officials will select 150 startups at a November conclave. Three teams will work on each of the 50 challenges. Winners will get mentorship and grants. By February, the best MVP solutions earn Rs 20 lakh. Deep-tech projects qualify for up to Rs 40 lakh.
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