Karnataka tops NITI Aayog’s Innovation Index

NEW DELHI: Karnataka has again nabbed the top spot among major states in the second edition of Innovation Index announced by NITI Aayog on Wednesday, January 20. Maharashtra has leaped ahead of Tamil Nadu and grabbed the second spot. Telangana, Kerala, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab are the other states who have grabbed the Top 10 positions. Delhi and Himachal Pradesh occupied the top positions among Union Territories (UTs) and north-east/hill states.

The average innovation score in the category of major states is 25.4. Karnataka, which topped the table, scored 42.5 points which can be credited to the state’s strong number of venture capital deals, registered Geographical Indications and Information and Communication Technology exports. High inflow of Foreign Direct Investment has helped the state enhance innovation capabilities. Maharashtra scored 38 points and secured the second spot. However, Bihar, which was placed at the bottom of the table, scored 14.5 points. Southern states have dominated the list with four states in the top 5. North-east and hill states scored an average innovation score of 17.9, with Himachal Pradesh at the top with a score of 25.

The average score of city states and UTs stands at 26 points with Delhi at the top, followed by Chandigarh with 38.6. Delhi has shown superior results due to high number of trademarks and patent applications along with new start-ups and companies in the new fiscal year. It scored best in the field of internet penetration with 202.7 internet subscribers per 100 population, the report said.