В Мадхья-Прадеше обсуждают создание первого в штате государственной политики дизайна

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh may get its first dedicated design policy, with the National Institute of Design (NID), Madhya Pradesh, in discussions with the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Good Governance and Policy Analysis (AIGGPA), the state govt’s think tank, to create a framework for integrating design into industry, agriculture, MSMEs and public services. The proposal, still at at an early stage, aims to mainstream design-led interventions across govt departments and industrial clusters to improve products, processes and services, while boosting innovation, competitiveness and exports. Madhya Pradesh currently has no state-specific design policy, unlike the Centre, which already has a national design policy. “We are thinking of working on a design policy for the MP govt. It is at the proposal stage and we will take it forward,” NID Madhya Pradesh director Vidya Rakesh told TOI on the sidelines of the ‘Samruddh Madhya Pradesh @ 2047: Role of Central Institutions’ conclave. “The central govt already has a design policy and is working on its modification, but Madhya Pradesh does not have a specific design policy. It can help incorporate design across sectors and departments.” Agriculture could be a key focus area, with the proposed framework encouraging the development of farm machinery and equipment tailored to regional cropping patterns, terrain and local requirements rather than relying on uniform solutions. “Agriculture is a major sector for MP and the irrigated area is expanding, but there are challenges in mechanisation and availability of equipment suited to specific requirements. Equipment can be designed according to the needs and conditions of different regions of the state,” Rakesh said. NID is already providing design inputs for the upcoming furniture cluster in Indore, with the aim of helping manufacturers develop innovative, export-quality products. Similar interventions could help local industries improve their competitiveness and expand exports. The proposed policy could also promote design interventions in healthcare, communication, religious tourism, public infrastructure and other govt services. Rakesh said a formal framework could further strengthen awareness and mechanisms related to intellectual property rights, patents and protection of original designs. Santosh Kumar Vishvakarma, chief scientific adviser at AIGGPA, said the state currently had no dedicated design policy and NID’s expertise could be utilised to develop one. “NID can be of help in designing a policy for the state,” Vishvakarma said. The proposed collaboration could help identify areas where design-led solutions can be incorporated into govt programmes and link specialised design expertise with the requirements of departments and industries.