Chandigarh (Balwinder Singh): The Haryana government has introduced a major policy initiative designed to transform academic research and student innovation into practical administrative solutions. Chaired by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, the first general body meeting of the Haryana State Innovation Society on Tuesday granted in-principle approval to the “Haryana Network for Academic Vision, Applied Creativity, and Holistic Administrative Research” (NAWACHAR) scheme in Chandigarh.
The primary objective of the NAWACHAR scheme is to link the research capacity of universities, scholars, and students with real-world public governance challenges. Under the initiative, the state government will provide seed funding to students and young researchers who present viable technological solutions or ideas addressing critical state issues, enabling them to convert initial concepts into fully functional prototypes.
Emphasizing a “lab-to-field and field-to-policy” transition, the scheme aligns research focus areas with long-term strategic goals including Viksit Haryana 2047, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), digital governance, high-tech manufacturing, sustainable agriculture, urban planning, and socio-economic inclusion. Eligible universities and higher education institutions across Haryana will be invited to submit research proposals matched to these administrative priorities.
Selected proposals will receive initial seed funding of up to 100,000 Indian rupees following preliminary evaluation to draft a detailed project report (DPR). Once formulated in coordination with the relevant government departments, these reports will be submitted for final financial approval and statewide project execution, fostering an evidence-based and tech-driven policymaking environment.
During the meeting, Chief Minister Saini directed officials to move research beyond theoretical boundaries and focus strictly on ground-level problem solving. He instructed authorities to collaborate with research bodies to launch a targeted pilot project in one district dedicated to analyzing groundwater quality and creating filtration technologies capable of converting unusable or non-potable groundwater into safe drinking water.
To accelerate statewide startup growth and technical capabilities, officials noted that the Haryana State Innovation Mission has entered into memorandums of understanding with global technology firms and academic leaders, including Google India, IIT Delhi, and NIT Kurukshetra. These strategic partnerships will provide artificial intelligence integration, startup mentorship, and institutional logistics to turn early-stage prototypes into scalable civic solutions.
The high-level meeting was attended by Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Rajesh Khullar, Additional Chief Secretary for Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship G. Anupama, Additional Chief Secretary for Higher Education A.K. Singh, and several senior administrative officers and society members.
