National Jal Jeevan Mission and MeitY to conduct an ICT Grand Challenge for IoT Startups; prizes upto 50 lakhs

The National Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) has launched an ICT Grand Challenge to create innovative, modular, and cost-effective solution on the theme of ‘Smart Water Supply Measurement and Monitoring System’ at the village level. The Jal Jeevan Mission, in partnership with Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, is inviting proposals from Indian Tech start-ups, MSMEs, Indian Companies and Indian LLPs.

About the challenge

This challenge will harness the vibrant IoT eco-systems of India for creating smart rural water supply eco-system to measure and monitor the service delivery of the water supply in rural areas, the MeitY said in a release. It will also provide an opportunity to work for the cause of Jal Jeevan Mission. Further, it will assure potable water supply through Functional Household Tap Connections to every rural household.

Moreover, the grand challenge will provide support at the ideation stage, prototype development stage and deployment stage. The pilot will be conducted at 100 villages and the best solution will get a cash prize of Rs 50 lakh while runner ups will get a prize of Rs 20 lakh each.

Successful developers will be given an opportunity to join the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology supported incubator or CoEs for further nurturing of their solution, the release said. Furthermore, this will boost the idea and thrust of initiatives like Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Digital India and Make in India, it added.

National Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) aims at providing Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) to every rural household by 2024. The mission focuses on service delivery at the household level, through water supply regularly in adequate quantity and of prescribed quality.

Therefore, this necessitates the use of modern technology in the systematic monitoring of the programme. It will also capture service delivery data automatically for ensuring the quality of services. As the digitisation of water supply infrastructure has the potential to solve some of the biggest societal problems facing the nation, it will help anticipate and address future challenges.

Awards & Recognition

Ideation to Prototype Stage:

10 proposals will be shortlisted and provided financial support to the tune of Rs. 7.5 Lakh each to develop a working prototype of the proposed solution within two months duration (max).

Prototype to Product Stage:

Best four techno-economically viable prototype shall be selected for product development and each team will receive Rs 25 Lakh to build their solution as per the need of the user agency within three months duration (max) and subsequently field trial, testing& deployment and demonstration at approx. 25 locations across the country as identified by user agency in next one month.

These four teams shall be provided with financial support for necessary handholding. From the Jal Jeevan Mission, MeitY and the implementing agency (CDAC). They can use it for testing, deployment and demonstration at the live site. For these field trials, each finalist will be provided with the following financial support:

• towards sourcing and installation of devices/solutions deployment
• towards logistics and other contingency expenses ₹10 lakhs each

Product Deployment Stage:

Based on the evaluation, one winner and two runner-ups will be selected and supported. The winner will get 50 Lakh. On the other hand, the two runner ups will get 20 Lakh each.

In the whole country, telecom connectivity has reached. We are increasingly using IoT strategies to monitor water quantity and quality. Recent technological advancements (such as IoT, Big Data Analytics, AI/ML, Cloud); declining costs of mobile data; hardware (sensors) and software; provide an opportunity to digitise water supply infrastructure in rural India.

Thus, Jal Jeevan Mission ICT Grand Challenge aims to materialise the Prime Minister's dream of "Har Nal main Jal".

Participate in the contest before October 5. Here is the link.