A Meeting of State Innovation Council was held here today under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Vineet Chaudhary to approve the schemes/best innovative practices recommended by the concerned sectoral committees for award under six identified sectors.These sectors include Agriculture and Horticulture, Academic, Food Processing and Manufacturing, Social Development, Tourism and Government Sectors. These awards are to be conferred under the HP State Innovation Award Scheme for the year 2016-17.Out of the total 32 nominations received by the Planning Department, four nominations as recommended by the sectoral committees were approved by the Council in today’s meeting for giving State Innovation Awards.The State Innovation Council has approved four proposals viz. “An innovative vegetative propagation technique for capsicum, tomato and cucumber production” posed by Dr. Pradeep Kumar, Scientist of Department of Vegetable Science and Floriculture, College of Agriculture, CSKHPKV-Palampur, “Domestic Solar Water Heating Panel for Mountains (Solar Hamam)” proposed by Himalayan Research Group(HRG), “Mission for on-time text book delivery” proposed by Elementary Education Department and “Har Hath Ko Kaam” posed by D.G. Prisons & Correctional Services, Himachal Pradesh for award under Agriculture & Horticulture, Manufacturing & Food Processing, Academic and Social Development sector respectively.The State Innovation Council also approved award of Rs 31,000 to be given to individuals for selected innovations and an amount of rupees two lakh to be given to the concerned organizations/institutes to promote innovative ideas. It was also decided to include Water Resources and Waste Management sector for inviting nominations under the award scheme for the year 2017-18.The scope of Tourism sector was also decided to be widened by including non-freight transports sector into the Tourism sector. The last date for applying under said scheme for Innovations awards for the year 2017-18 is 20th June, 2018.