Guwahati, Sep 25 (IANS) : Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Friday said the state government has placed around 50 real-world challenges before young innovators under the newly launched ‘North East Seva Fast Innovation Challenge’, seeking technology-based solutions to problems ranging from flood forecasting and healthcare to oil exploration and semiconductor manufacturing.
Speaking to reporters here, Sarma said the initiative has been launched as part of the state’s ‘Seva and Sankalp Abhiyan’ and is designed to bring young minds into the process of finding solutions to governance and development challenges.
Among the healthcare-related challenges, the government has sought innovative ways to identify high blood pressure in women before pregnancy, he said.
The Chief Minister said the challenge also includes problems related to Assam’s oil and petroleum sector.
One of the areas identified is the exploration of oil and gas in oilfields that have been declared no longer productive.
Another challenge concerns the semiconductor sector, where several types of machinery and equipment are currently sourced from outside India.
The government wants innovators to explore whether at least some of these equipment and components can be manufactured in Assam.
Sarma also cited forest degradation as another area requiring innovative intervention, including solutions that can help monitor and manage forests when trees are felled.
Flood management is another major component of the challenge. The government is seeking solutions that could provide an early warning of floods at least 12 hours in advance, enabling departments and communities to prepare and respond more effectively.
“These are the problems we have placed before the young generation so that they can show us the way towards solutions,” Sarma said.
He said the challenge was open to young people not only from Assam but from across the Northeast and the rest of India.
The selected innovations would receive government support, including access to relevant departmental data, besides financial assistance.
The state would also explore ways to integrate successful solutions into its policies and help the startups develop further. Sarma said the initiative could become an annual exercise if successful.
