A major turning point has come with the formalisation of a tripartite collaboration between the State Planning Commission, Government of Tamil Nadu, UNICEF Office of Innovation (OoI) in Sweden and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Observatory of Public Sector Innovation. “This is the first time the OECD and the UNICEF OoI are doing such an intervention with a sub-national level government,” pointed Sudha Ramen S, IFS, Member Secretary, Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission. What makes the collaboration particularly significant is that India is not an OECD member country and this validates the innovation ecosystem in the state.
Social Innovation
This partnership is designed to strengthen public sector innovation at a systemic level. Unlike commercial innovation, public sector innovation focuses on redesigning processes, improving service delivery and responding more effectively to citizen needs. “People usually recognise innovation in the private sector. But ultimately, government departments are also into innovation. This is a form of social innovation,” said Ms Ramen. Tamil Nadu has a long history of such social innovation beginning right from the mid-day meal scheme to the present Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme. Through the Centre for Innovation in Governance, established under the State Planning Commission, the state is institutionalising these approaches. One of the most ambitious outcomes of the new international collaboration will be the development of a dedicated public sector innovation policy which would potentially be the first of its kind in India.
Alongside this, the State Planning Commission is creating an indicator framework and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to assess how innovation performs across departments. “The objectives are very clear. One, to improve service delivery. Two, to improve efficiency. Three, to bring flexibility in approaches and customise them to emerging requirements,” highlighted Ms Ramen. She pointed that cost efficiency was also central to all these so that services are offered without compromising institutional efficiency.
Data driven policy making
The State Planning Commission is also trying to move towards data-driven policymaking. A spatial data platform called TiNAI that integrates digital twin technology and artificial intelligence has been launched. This has helped break silos. Static data from reports is now part of a live, continuously updated platform for research and planning. “We find that if a question related to agriculture is asked, the platform is able to return back relevant climate and soil data too,” pointed Ms Ramen. This would help with evidence based policy making. To further this, a Policy and Governance Experiential Centre is also being set up. “Data standardisation remains a challenge, but we are actively working towards to resolve issues and move forward in this direction,” stressed Dr Ramen.
Talented youth
Innovation, however, does not exist in isolation. A strong ecosystem must also include startups, entrepreneurs, and young talent. “When we talk about innovation ecosystems, we also need to see how startups are performing,” she said. Tamil Nadu has invested heavily in this space, with dedicated Statup TN mission, iTNT Hub focussed on deep-tech entities and hub-and-spoke models supporting innovation across districts.
At the heart of all these efforts is human capital. “Our major strength is the youth of Tamil Nadu,” Ms Ramen emphasised. Higher education and skill development are where the state’s long-term advantage lies. With technology reshaping industries and job roles, the focus is shifting decisively towards upskilling and reskilling. Crucially, our investment begins early. “We are starting right from the schools,” said Ms Ramen pointing to curriculum reforms, model schools, scholarships and technology access that aim to reduce long-standing rural–urban divides. As technology expands reach and opportunity, the state is looking to scale these efforts further.
This is where the Tamil Diaspora can step in. They are the state’s greatest strengths and their most meaningful contribution lies in long-term knowledge engagement. “The diaspora can play a critical role in strengthening higher education, research and skill development by exposing students to global opportunities, research cultures and emerging fields,” pointed Ms Ramen. This will help convert the rich human capital into productive, globally competitive talent. n
