Summary on GIAN (North)

GIAN-North

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Grassroots Innovations Augmentation Network-North (GIAN-North) is a registered society set-up jointly by National Innovation Foundation (NIF) and Government of Rajasthan at Jaipur in November, 2002. It works for augmenting the grassroots innovations from the northern states viz. Rajasthan, Punjab , Haryana, Uttarankhand, NCT of Delhi and UT of Chandigarh. Selected innovations from the NIF database are taken up for value addition and diffusion. GIAN (N) is systematically creating synergy with the centers of excellence, financial institutes, Government bodies, scouts/ collaborators and volunteers to expand the mission and to strengthen the process of value addition, IPR protection, dissemination and commercialization of the creativity of our informal scientists.

The mandate of GIAN (North) is to convert grassroot innovations into a sustainable enterprise through value addition. The process involves:-

• Incubation (Idea to Innovation)

• Product development (Provide/raise technological, infrastructural, financial support)

• Intellectual Property Protection (patenting, trademarks etc.)

• Market Research and Venture Promotion (Project Planning, Technology transfer, commercial launch, pilot and Commercial scale Production, vendor development and distribution, dissemination of information)

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The augmentation activities are supported by National Innovation Foundation, Ahmedabad and Department of Science and Technology, Government of Rajasthan. The venture promotion is supported through the Micro Venture Innovation Fund (MVIF) provided to NIF by SIDBI. HDFC has also come forward and provided a fund to GIAN-North for supporting these innovations.

To encourage the participation of Media in these activities, GIAN-North in association with Bhoruka Charitable Trust, Jaipur has also instituted Media Awards for Best Reporting on Grassroots Innovations from Northern India consecutively for three years (2005-2007).

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Governing Board

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Its governing board consists of representatives of the government, academia, industry, NGOs, innovators, and NIF representatives.

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General Body

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Milestones

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• Since its inception, GIAN-N initiated several augmentation activities and took them forward to provide incubation support to selected grassroot technologies. Linkages with state government, departments, organizations, technological and business institutes, entrepreneurs and other stake holders were established and strengthened. Special efforts were made to bridge the gap between our informal scientific community and the formal scientists. It is important to mention here that now formal community has started recognizing the contribution of grassroots innovators and in many cases have extended support in nurturing their work. In one of the cases, the scientist who was formally engaged in testing of two of the farm machineries wrote papers with the innovators and these got published in a National Journal.

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• GIAN-North in collaboration with Bhoruka Charitable Trust, Jaipur instituted Media Awards for best reporting on grassroot innovations from North India . This was an initiative to encourage the participation of media personals in this movement.

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• An Innovation Promotion Fund (IPF) was conceptualized and constituted which has speeded up the process of providing small hand holding support for prototyping and all kinds of promotional and supporting activities for grassroots innovations. This fund comprises of the donations by individuals, savings of project and general funds etc.

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• Technology Transfer : - The technology of the groundnut digger (a recognized innovation from Sikar, Rahasthan) was transferred to an entrepreneur from Andhra Pradesh for application as a Sea beach cleaner. The project has also been supported by DSIR under TePP for the said development. This is a unique initiative by GIAN-North in which the technology is transferred for another application and entrepreneur and DSIR would be investing in the development of a new product.

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• Social Diffusion :- GIAN-N also took initiatives for development of an improved Hand Pump by clubbing two recognized innovations with the help of another innovator and facilitated the development of a pilot lot of 120 such modified pumps. 60 of these pumps have been installed in different villages of Sikar, Rajasthan and remaining were handed over to PHED for further installations whenever any replacement takes place. Efforts are on to diffuse it further with the help of other voluntary organizations and government departments.

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The department of Science and Technology, GoR has also initiated the process of its diffusion in Rajasthan. As a trial, Dungarpur Distt. has been selected to diffuse a lot of 10 such hand pumps. GIAN-N is facilitating the supply of these modified heads to them and a voluntary organization at Dungarpur is taking up their installation.Â

• GIAN-N took initiatives for interstate technology diffusion by involving state government in the process. Ten grassroots technologies from Rajasthan , Assam , Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka were identified, procured and provided to seven Science Villages at Rajasthan under DST, GoR.Â

• Showcasing of Dryland Forestry Technique of a progressive farmer from Rajasthan at DST's Science Park , Jaipur. This is for creating awareness about the technique among masses. Dr. M.S. Swaminathan and Honb'le Chief Minister of Rajasthan also visited the site and appreciated the efforts of a farmer.Â

• Showcasing of grassroots technologies in various National, International and rural fairs/ workshops/ seminars through prototypes, models and posters.Â

• If we look at the major statistics so far, 12 technologies have been commercialised/ socially diffused and another 12 are ready to be commercialised. Evaluation/ prototyping and other value addition and/ or diffusion activities have been carried out on 73 innovations since 2002 and another 21 are under process. So far 23 innovations have been provided venture support under MVIF and HDFC funds and out of which 8 have been successful business/ social models. 30 innovations have been supported for protecting IPR i.e. patent has been filed.

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• Apart from these incubation activities, GIAN-N has always been instrumental in mobilizing expertise for documentation, evaluation and validation of innovations short listed in the National Competitions on Grassroots Innovations.

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Recognition and Registration

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• Society Registration at Registrar of Societies under Rajasthan Society Act, 1958 – Reg. No. 1057/Jaipur/ 02-03 dated November 20, 2002 .

• Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976 (FCRA) under Section 6(1) (a) – Reg. No. 125560162 dated January 30, 2004 , Nature Educational Social.

• Registration under section 80 G of Income Tax Act 1961 – Reg. No. 2008-2009/4/21 dated June 13, 2008 .

• GIAN-North has been accorded recognition as Scientific and Industrial Research Organization ( SIROs ) by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. Reg. No. 11/438/2005-TU-V dated April 23, 2008 .Â

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Rajeev Singhal

CIM, GIAN-North

December 2008