Lok Sabha Question No. 1774 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-26
Subject: Benefits of Research
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: RAMESH POKHRIYAL NISHANK

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1774 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26/07/2017

## BENEFITS OF RESEARCH

†1774. DR. RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK':

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY òãðìððÐð ¡ðøÜ ÑßðøÌðð÷ò±ð¨îó  Ùðüëðó be pleased to state:

- (a) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  that  the  benefits  of  research  by  various scientific  institutions  and  universities  reach  the  common  man  and  also  for  commercialization  of developed technology;
- (b) whether any special training programmes have been organized for the scientists to get their research patented; and
- (c) the special steps taken by the Government to protect intellectual property?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  SCIENCE  AND  TECHNOLOGY  AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES (SHRI Y.S. CHOWDHARY)

òãðìððÐð ¡ðøÜ ÑßðøÌðð÷ò±ð¨îó ÙðüëððâðÚð Ùð÷ü Üð¸Úð Ùðüëðó +ÉÉè® ÑðöÆãðó òãðìððÐð ÙðüëððâðÚð Ùð÷ü Üð¸Úð Ùðüëðó

(gÉÉÒ ´ÉÉ<Ç. AºÉ. SÉÉèvÉ®ÉÒ)

- (a) Government has taken numerous steps as stated below to ensure that the benefits of research by various scientific institutions and universities in the country reach to common man and also for commercialization of developed technology:
-  The  Department  of  Science  &  Technology  (DST)  has  launched  many  programs  for  wellbeing of the common man across the country, particularly those living in rural areas and the under-privileged sections of society such as Long Term Core Support through Technological Advancement for Rural Areas (TARA) scheme, Technological Intervention for Addressing Societal Needs (TIASN), Technology Application for Livelihood Improvement of Scheduled Caste Population (TALIM-SC), Technology Intervention Programme for Disabled & Elderly Population, People & Protected Programme for Tribal Communities living around Protected Areas to address livelihoods and conservation issues. Besides, Women Technology Parks are created,  wherein  academia  and  field  based  S&T  agencies/organizations  identify  local challenges and address these through appropriate S&T interventions. Department has also established Technology Business Incubators in 113 scientific institutions and universities to help commercialization of Technologies and innovations. DST is also implementing bilateral collaborative  industrial  R&D  programs  with  several  countries,which  have  participation from  industry,  enterprises,  academia  and  R&D  institutions  from  both  sides,  to  develop prototypes, products or processes with commercial potential.
-  In addition, the Ministry, through the Technology Development Board (TDB), Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB)  and  other  extramural  programmes  also  supports  commercialization  of  developed technology.
-  The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) operated project activities under 'CSIR-800'  program  areaiming  at  bringing  in  desired  S&T  interventions  for  improving quality of life of common people at base of the economic pyramid. The efforts include, a food processing  unit  set  up  at  CSIR-Centre  for  High  Altitude  Biology  (CSIR-CeHAB)  in  the remote tribal region of Lahaul and Spiti;Empowering the selected Women self-help groups in Manipur;Training and skill development techniques to terracotta pottery rural artisans across  various  states;  Arsenic  removal  technology  and  de-floridation  plants  &  variety  of other  water  purification  plants  for  community/  domestic  use  in  Rural  Areas  for  common people; Popularizing  mushroom technology through transfer and training to benefit rural women  in  North  East  Sates;  Medicinal  &  Aromatic  plants  (MAPs)  and  other  related technologies for rural development in Jammu & Kashmir region and Western Himalayan region. CSIR has also started Samadhan Kendra, a Rural Information Technology centre to provide details about the agriculture.
-  Ministry  of  New  and  Renewable  Energy  (MNRE)  also  supports  R  &  D  programs  with  a provision  for  financial  assistance  of  up  to  50%  of  the  project  cost  for  the  projects  that involve  partnership  with industry / civil society.  Various  renewable  energy  systems supported  by  them  such  as  biogas  plants,  solar  lights,  solar  dryers,  etc.  have  reached  the remotest part of the country and are being used by people for their energy needs.

(b) Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), DST through Patent Facilitating  Cell  (PFC)  has  been  regularly  organizing  training  programmes  for  scientists  and industrial sectors in collaboration with Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Indian  Council  for  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR),  Indian  Institute  of  Corporate  Affairs  (IICA), Manesar, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Technology Development Board (TDB), New Delhi. PFC-TIFAC is also implementing Women Scientist Scheme (WOS-C popularly known as KIRAN-IPR)revamped by Government in 2015. PFC-TIFAC is also conducting one day workshops with special focus on patents.

(c) The  Government  has  taken  several  steps  for  protection  of  Intellectual  property  and announced  the  National  IPR  Policy  on  May  12,  2016  (Department  of  Industrial  Policy  and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce and Industry as the Nodal Ministry). The policy in total has  203  action  points.  Cell  for  IPR  Promotion  and  Management  (CIPAM)  has  been  created  to implement the objectives of the National IPR Policy. New Commercial Courts have been created and  also  in  order  to  strengthen  the  enforcement  mechanism,  various  training  programs  on enforcement  of  IPRs  for  police  officials  have  been  organized.India's  first  ever  Technology  and Innovation  Support  Center  (TISC)  has  been  established  in  association  with  World  Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in PSCST, Punjab to take forward commercialization of IPs.

Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), DST is working to improve  IPR  output  of  national  research  laboratories,  universities,  technology  institutions  and other researchers by encouraging and facilitating the acquisition of Intellectual Property Rights by them.

CSIR adopted a centralized operation for its IPR protection with its Innovation Protection Unit  (IPU).  IPU  protects  intellectual  property  rights  at  national  and  international  level  for  the results of important R&D carried out in the various CSIR Laboratories and schemes.

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