T.N. to formulate State-level public sector innovation policy, State Innovation Index

A delegation from the Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission (SPC) visited the UNICEF Office of Innovation and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, France, last month, and proposed the formulation of a State-level public sector innovation policy and a State Innovation Index, among others.

“Based on the learnings from OECD and UNICEF, the collaboration will now enter a focused implementation phase. The priority actions proposed include the formulation of a State-level Public Sector Innovation Policy, development of innovation frameworks and a State Innovation Index, establishment of monitoring and evaluation systems, and structured training and capacity-building programmes for departments,” an official release from the SPC said.

In this regard, the SPC has formed a sectoral working group consisting of domain experts and representatives of reputed institutions to guide policy formulation and implementation in a time-bound and outcome-oriented manner, the release said.

Tamil Nadu’s sustained efforts to institutionalise public sector innovation and strengthen welfare-oriented governance have received international recognition through an ongoing collaboration between the Government of Tamil Nadu, the UNICEF Office of Innovation, and the OECD, the release said.

On January 5 this year, the collaboration was formalised in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and SPC Chairman M.K. Stalin and Deputy Chief Minister andex-officioSPC Vice-Chairman Udhayanidhi Stalin.

A Letter of Intent was exchanged between the SPC and the UNICEF. “Tamil Nadu has achieved a significant milestone as the world’s first sub-national government to enter into a strategic partnership with international agencies that mainstream innovation across many countries, it said.

A delegation of the SPC visited the OECD headquarters in Paris on January 21 and 22 for structured consultations with senior officials and subject experts. The SPC was also invited to participate in the UNICEF’s COMPASS Programme at the UNICEF Innovation Office in Stockholm on January 26 and 27.