Karnataka has claimed the first spot in the first-ever innovation ranking of states sponsored by Niti Aayog. As per the India Innovation Index published on Thursday, Karnataka is followed by neighboring states Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra in the rankings. Eastern states like Bihar, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh trailed on the list.
Notably, the India Innovation Index 2019 has been developed on the lines of the Global Innovation Index (GII). The index looks into the innovation ecosystem of Indian states and union territories which further assists the policymakers design policies to drive innovation in these regions. The index attempts at creating an extensive framework for the perpetual evaluation of the innovation environment of 29 states and seven union territories.
The rankings are given on the basis of their index score, recognize opportunities and challenges, and assist in tailoring governmental policies to foster innovation. Niti Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar and chief executive officer Amitabh Kant released the report. All the Indian states were divided into 3 categories including 'Major States', 'North East and Hill States' and 'Union Territories (UTs)/City and the Small States'. Besides, Karnataka claiming the top spot in major states category, Sikkim topped in the North-East category, while Delhi was at the top in the UT segment.
Further, Karnataka also grabbed the top position in terms of attracting investment followed by Maharashtra, Haryana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Telangana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The report further added that states like Bihar, Jharkhand, and Punjab were the least attractive states for investment. The report added, "For a country as large as India, the state of innovation needs to be understood at the regional level for effective policy formulation. A policy just at the national level is not enough. Each state needs to formulate its own policy, based on its unique resources and strengths and which caters to the specific needs."
NITI Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar argued that innovation has been critical in the development of any state and the index will infuse a culture of innovation across the Indian state. Further, the index will also create a healthy ecosystem for innovation to flourish across the country. He said, "Such an index will not only help states to devise their own strategy for fostering an innovation climate, but it will also enable them to benchmark their performance with other states," he added.
