Deputy Commissioner Udhampur Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary attended 3-day National Roundtable on Innovations at Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi, as a part of Festival of Innovations, an international event organised by National Innovation Foundation and Government of India.The National Roundtable on Innovations was inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherji wherein participants drawn from across the country, from various Government and Private organizations as well as elected representatives at grassroots level shared their innovations aimed at better public service delivery and achieving equitable development.The National Roundtable on Innovation organised at the Rashtrapati Bhawan Cultural Centre was aimed at exchange of innovations and discussion on new projects, proposals and tam initiatives. A 50 member team of innovators was also constituted which will be coordinated by IIM Ahmadabad for carrying out a nationwide campaign for up scaling and replication of innovations in various fields.
Dr Shahid made a presentation on electoral inclusion, empowerment of panchayats and participatory development. The session on National Innovations for Grassroots development and empowerment was chaired by Deepak Gupta, Chairman UPSC, with Dr R A Mashelkar Chairperson NIF as Co-Chair and Secretary to the President. He also highlighted the successful examples of grass-root empowerment in J&K state through active involvement of Panchayats and women in various developmental and community initiatives. Project Jashn-e-Jamhuriat and Project Rahat were also discussed in the roundtable and the National Innovation Foundation resolved to extend support to the rural development project of connectivity in remote areas.The National Innovation Foundation and empowered committee on innovations were also briefed about proposal for e-Taleem wherein more than 35 higher secondary schools and colleges of District Udhampur will be linked for videoconference based education and parallel programme for development of farmers to be run through National Informatics Centre Udhampur with DIO as nodal officer. The project will be funded under the Digital India Programme, it was decided. New Delhi Rotary Club also committed to sponsor one bridge under Project Rahat in Udhampur.