NITI Aayog Discusses Challenges and Opportunities in Assistive Devices Industry

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : NITI Aayog deliberated on emerging opportunities in technological innovations, product development in assistive devices industry and policy interventions in the country on November 22, 2019

The existing state of affairs pertaining to disability, assistive technology, allied industry and emerging opportunities in India were discussed at the meeting. Broad areas of discussion included regulatory control and capacity building in the sector; incentivisation for the private players to invest in the industry; formulation of a concrete set-up involving the government, private industries, innovation centres like the IITs and the NGOs in order to transform the present reality; building and encouraging entrepreneurship; an economically viable model inclusive of affordability, adaptability, functionality and productivity; and strengthening indigenous R&D and promoting mass manufacturing of assistive devices technology in India.

Representatives from WHO, ICRC, World Bank, CII, PHDCC, ASSOCHAM, ALIMCO, Microsoft, IIT and others actively participated in the discussion and threw light on aspects pertaining to the empowerment of the disabled via creation of suitable and sustainable opportunities coupled with assurance of better regulatory framework centred on affordability and accessibility, according to a PIB release.

The meeting emphasissed and concurred upon the much needed ice-breaker in the form of a conference on assistive devices industry, which will be the launchpad for future collaborations in the sector of assistive technology in India.