National Manufacturing Innovation Survey

National Manufacturing Innovation Survey
 

News: Recently, The Department of Science and Technology (DST) in India has released the “National Manufacturing Innovation Survey (NMIS) 2021-22 - Summary for Policymakers”.
 

About NMIS:
 The survey is conducted by DST in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
 It evaluates the innovation performance of manufacturing firms in India.
 The components include Firm-level survey and sectoral systems of innovation (SSI) survey in 5 selected sectors i.e., food & beverage, textiles, automotive, pharmaceutical, and Information andmCommunication Technology (ICT)
 The firm-level survey captured data related to the process of innovation, access to finance, resources, and information for innovation for firms. These data were then used to compile India Manufacturing Innovation Index (IMII), covering 28 states and 6 UTs.
 One in four firms was found to have successfully implemented an innovation in the observation period, and over 80% of these firms benefitted significantly in expanding markets and production and reducing costs.
 

About UNIDO:
 It is a specialized agency of the UN to promote and accelerate industrial development. India is one of UNIDO’s Founding Members.
 HQ – Vienna, Austria
 

Key Findings:
 Around 25% of Indian firms are innovative
 The states/UT’s that are top ranked in innovation - Karnataka> Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu> Telangana> Tamil Nadu
 Nearly 40% of firms faced issue in raising finance from external sources.
 The survey focusses on Triple Helix Model which refers to the relationships between universities, knowledge-based institutions (KBIs), firms, governments, and hybrid organizations.
 

Key Recommendations:
 To create a joint R&D program between universities, research institutes, and industries to foster collaboration and sharing of best practices.
 Establish innovation centers in every state that offer training and funding to MSMEs.
 To establish a government-backed loan program that offers low-interest loans to firms for innovation projects.
 To promote STEM education and encourage workers to acquire skills in emerging technologies.
 To provide financial assistance to firms to upgrade their manufacturing facilities with digital technologies such as IoT, AI, and big data analytics.
 Government backed loan programs for firms into innovation projects.
 To protect patents, trademarks, and copyrights, and provide swift enforcement against infringement by having a strong legal framework.
 Raise investments from Venture capitalists and angel investors. Attract such investors by giving them tax incentives and minimizing regulatory barriers.