GREAT SCHEME
Why in News?
The Ministry of Textiles recently announced in the Lok Sabha that 31 start-ups have been approved under the GREAT scheme, receiving a cumulative government injection of ₹13.65 crore to accelerate commercialization and innovation.
Nodal Authority & Origin
- Ministry: Implemented by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.
- Mission Framework: It operates under the Research, Development, and Innovation component of the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM).
- Launch Year: Introduced in August 2023.
Objectives
- Ecosystem Building: To support the early-stage start-up ecosystem in the high-growth technical textiles sector.
- Commercial Translation: To bridge the gap between research and manufacturing by translating innovative ideas and prototypes into commercial products.
- Self-Reliance: To cut down on high-value imports and drive domestic manufacturing under the Make in India vision.
Funding & Financial Support
- Grant Support: Offers a maximum financial grant-in-aid of ₹50 Lakh per approved project.
- Project Duration: Funding is provided over a standard timeline of 18 months.
- Incubator Incentive: The Ministry grants an additional 10% of the total grant amount to incubators to manage the operational ecosystem.
- Equity Contribution: Incubatees or promoters are mandated to bring a minimum contribution of 10%.
Targeted Technology Domains
The approved projects cover high-performance and niche technical textile domains:
The approved projects cover high-performance and niche technical textile domains:
- Smart & Functional Fabrics: Graphene-based smart wearables, temperature-responsive textiles, and self-sanitizing apparel.
- Sustainability: Bio-based innovations like hemp-bioplastic composites, algae-derived leather, and biodegradable tire yarns.
- Healthcare Wearables: Shape-memory medical wearables, advanced antimicrobial hospital wear, and surgical training simulators.
- Industrial Composites: Heavy-duty composites built for automotive, defence, aerospace, and construction sectors.
Eligibility Criteria
- Age and Nationality: Individual applicants must be Indian citizens aged 21 years or above.
- Incubation Rule: Must be associated with a recognized incubation centre (like IITs, NITs, or Textile Research Associations).
- Corporate Identity: Funding is strictly conditional upon registering a formal start-up company before the actual release of the grant.
