Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Digital India AatmaNirbhar Bharat Innovate Challenge to identify the best Indian apps, already being used by citizens and have the potential to scale up and become world-class. The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology along with the Atal Innovation Mission have come up with this challenge, which will run in two tracks -- promotion of existing apps and development of new apps.

"For the promotion of existing apps and platforms across the categories of e-learning, work-from-home, gaming, business, entertainment, office utilities and social networking, the government will provide mentoring, hand-holding and support.

"Track-01 will work in mission mode for identifying good quality apps for the leader-board and shall be completed in around a month," said a statement issued the Prime Minister in his LinkedIn account.

For new apps, Track-02 initiative will work to help create new champions in India by providing support in ideation, incubation, prototyping and rollout along with market access.

This challenge will help create tech products to find solutions to tech conundrums with mentorship. Interestingly, the challenge comes in the wake of India banning 59 Chinese apps citing national security considerations.

"I urge all my friends in the tech community to participate and help create an 'aatmanirbhar' (indigenous) app ecosystem. Who knows, I may also use some of these apps made by you," said the Prime Minister with a smiley.

Modi said India's tech ecosystem had made it proud and the pandemic had brought about disruption in the tech world.

Connecting it with the 'self-reliant India', he said, "Today, when the entire nation is working towards creating an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, it's a good opportunity to give direction to their efforts, momentum to their hard-work and mentorship to their talent to evolve apps which can satisfy our market as well as compete with the world."

Stating that the goal is to Make in India for India as well for the World, the Prime Minister using the sectoral parlance said, "Let us code for an Aatmanirbhar Bharat!."   (IANS)