In a bid to spur innovation in key sectors of the economy, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today approved the setting up of a National Innovation Council, headed by telecom czar Sam Pitroda, with special focus on micro, small and medium enterprises for 2010-20.

The Council has been given the mandate to evolve an Indian model for the Decade of Innovation focusing on inclusive growth and creating an appropriate eco-system conducive to fostering inclusive innovation.

It will work out appropriate policy initiatives to spur innovation and promote the setting up of Sectoral Innovation Councils and State Innovation Councils.

"While encouraging all important sectors of the economy to innovate, it will take special efforts to facilitate innovation by micro, small and medium enterprises. Innovation in public services delivery and encouraging multi-disciplinary and globally competitive approaches for innovations would be focussed on by the Council," a PMO statement said.

Besides Pitroda, who is also Adviser to the Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations, K Kasturirangan and Arun Maira, members of the Planning Commission, would be part of the Council.

Other members of the Council are Ramesh Mashelkar, former Director General of CSIR, Kiran Karnik, former President NASSCOM, Devi Prasad Shetty of Narayana Hrudyalaya, R Gopalakishnan, Executive Director of Tata Sons, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairperson of Biocon.

Shekhar Kapur, film director, Saurabh Srivastava, Chairman, CA Technologies, Anil K Gupta, IIM, Ahmedabad, Sujatha Ramadorai, TIFR, Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General CII, Amit Mitra, Secretary General FICCI, Samir Bhahmachari, Director General of CSIR and Sanjay Dhande, IIT Kanpur.

R Gopalakrishnan, Additional Secretary in the PMO, would be the Member-Secretary of the Council.