Lok Sabha Question No. 4182 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-21
Subject: R&D Activities in Science and Technology
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: KAMAKHYA PRASAD TASA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4182 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21/3/2018

## R&D ACTIVITIES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## 4182. SHRI KAMAKHYA PRASAD TASA:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ÉÊ´ÉYÉÉxÉ +ÉÉè® |ÉÉètÉÉäÉÊMÉBÉEÉÒ àÉÆjÉÉÒ be pleased to state:

- (a) the allocation of funds made for R&D activities in Science and Technology for the State of Assam during the last three years;
- (b) the details of the researches undertaken during the said period;
- (c) the steps being taken for the promotion of study of science and technology in the State; and
- (d) the success achieved therein?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES AND MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

ÉÊ´ÉYÉÉxÉ +ÉÉè® |ÉÉètÉÉäÉÊMÉBÉEÉÒ àÉÆjÉÉÒ, {Éßl´ÉÉÒ ÉÊ´ÉYÉÉxÉ àÉÆjÉÉÒ +ÉÉè® {ÉªÉÉÇ´É®hÉ, ´ÉxÉ A´ÉÆ VÉãÉ´ÉÉªÉÖ {ÉÉÊ®´ÉiÉÇxÉ àÉÆjÉÉÒ

(bÉ. c-ÉÇ ´ÉvÉÇxÉ)

- (a) The Ministry of Science and Technology do not have any provision for making State wise allocations for funds. However, the Ministry is implementing various Research and Development (R&D) schemes/projects with S&T institutions, Universities and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the Country including in the State of Assam through competitive grant mechanism.

The table below gives the details of funds provided by the Ministry of Science & Technology in  the State of Assam to carry out R&D activities during  the last three years:

(Rs. in Lakhs)

| Organization                                                      | 2014-15   | 2015-16   | 2016-17   | Total      |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|------------|
| (1)                                                               | (2)       | (3)       | (4)       | (5)        |
| Ministry of Science & Technology, GOI including DST, DBT and DSIR | 451991.29 | 549505.87 | 718196.71 | 1719693.87 |

- (b) The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is supporting projects in R&D through its various programmes & schemes.  These  include  Innovation  in  Science  Pursuit  for  Inspired  Research  (INSPIRE), R&D support though Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Young Scientist Support, Fund for Improvement  of  S&T  Infrastructure  in  Universities  and  other  Higher  Educational  Institutions  (FIST), North Eastern Special package-FIST/Promotion of University Research and Scientific Excellence (PURSE), State  Science  &  Technology  (SSTP)  Programme,  and  Patent  Facilitation  Cell  (PFC)  Programme,  Nano Technology, Water Technology Initiative (WTI), Clean Energy Research initiative (CERI), National S&T Entrepreneurship  Development  Board  (NSTEDB),  National  Council  for  S&T  Communication  (NCSTC), Mission for Geo Spatial Applications, Infrastructure Development Programme (IDP) etc.

Department of Biotechnology provides 10% of its budgetary support for the NE region. Department of  Biotechnology  (DBT)  implements  schemes  such  as  DBT-NER  Twinning  Programme,  DBT's  e-Library Consortia (NER-DeLCON), Overseas Fellowship/Associateship for NER Scientists, Biotech Hubs,

Development/Upgradation  infrastructure  in  medical  colleges,  DBT  centre  for  agriculture  biotechnology, Centre  of  Excellence  at  College  of  Fisheries  etc.  the  Department  of  Scientific  and  Industrial  Research  is implementing scheme such as Techno entrepreneur Promotion  Programme  (TePP), and National Laboratories Scheme of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. All these schemes are open for the stake holder of the State of Assam also.

- (c) The following steps were taken by the Ministry through its Constituent Departments to increase the pace of  development of Science and Technology in the State of Assam:-
1. Establishment of DBT-NER Centre for 'Advanced Animal Diagnostics and Services on Animal Health and Diseases (ADSAHD)' at College of Veterinary Sciences, Assam Agricultural University, Assam and stake holders from all NER States
2. Establishment of a Regional 'DBT Animal House Facility for Biotechnology Research in North-Eastern Region', Dibrugarh, Assam
3. DBT-  Assam  Agricultural  University  (AAU)  Centre  for  Agriculture  Biotechnology  (Centres  of Excellence) has been established and fully functional at Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat
4. A DBT-NER Centre for 'Advance Animal Disease Diagnostic & Management Consortium (ADMaC)'is being established in NER and BSL-III laboratory at College of Veterinary Sciences, AAU, Guwahati.
5. Establishment of X-ray crystallography facility for the NER at IIT Guwahati
6. Establishment  of  a  Comprehensive  Facility  for  Diagnosis  And  Management  of  Genetic  Disorders  at Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh, Assam
7. Setting up of State Level Biotech Hub at College of Veterinary Sciences, Assam Agricultural University, Guwahati
8. Setting up of  Biotech Laboratories at Senior Secondary Schools (BLiSS)
9. Support  to  more  than  250  R&D  projects  under  DBT's  Twinning  Programme,  DST  and  DSIR programmes at various S&T Iinstitutions in  the  State  of  Assam  like  Assam  Agricultural  University, Tezpur University, Assam University, Guwahati University, IIT Guwahati, IASST, NEIST, Dibrugarh University  in  collaboration  with  IISc,  IITs,  ICGEB,  AIIMS,  Delhi  University,  IARI,  JNU,  were undertaken.
10. Increasing  the  umbrella  of  support  of  grant  under  scheme  of  SERB-Empowerment  and  Equity Opportunities  for  Excellence  in  Science  to  ensure  participation  of  weaker  sections  of  the  Society  in R&D.
11. Increasing  the  grant  in  aid  support  to  DST-  Sophisticated  Analytical  Instrumentation  Facility  at Guwahati University.
12. Increasing  the  support  under  DST-  FIST  programme  to  create  Infrastructure  of  R&D  in  the universities Science and Engineering Department.
13. Supporting State S&T Council in Assam to carry out S&T.

(d) In the State of Assam, the Ministry through its constituent Department of Science and Technology has supported 30 National Post doctoral fellowship at a total cost of 561 lakhs , 12 opportunities provided to Scientists  of  weaker  sections  under  scheme  of  Empowerment  and  Equity  Opportunities  for  Excellence  in Science for R&D at a total cost of Rs.3.61 Crore. 22 Departments of 4 Universities/Institutions supported for creating  R&D  Infrastructure  to  the  tune  of    Rs.4409.00  Lakh  Sophisticated  Analytical  Instrumentation Facility at Guwahati university was provided financial support of Rs. 230.98, An additional grant of Rs.50.0 lakhs was provided to Assam State Council for Science and Technology for development of S&T proposal on location specific challenges for the State.

The  Department  of  Biotechnology  has    established    6  biotech  facilities/regional  centres,  62 Institutional Level Biotech Hubs, 52 Biotech Laboratories at Senior Secondary Schools (BLiSS),  9 Units of Excellence (U-Excel) in Biotechnology, A Bio Tech Park was also established at Guwahati. 8 Colleges  were given  Star  college  status  ,  Bioinformatics  facility  have  been  created  in  11  Institutions  of  Assam.  52 Scientists/faculty  have  been  provided  Overseas  Associate  ship  from  Assam,  In  addition  DBT's  e-Library Facility  was  extended  to  Guwahati  University,  Tezpur  University,  Assam  Agricultural  University,  IIT Guwahati and nearby Colleges

Ministry  has  undertaken  around  150  R&D  projects  in  DBT's  Twinning  Programme  for  NER  at various  institutions  like  Assam  Agricultural  University,  Tezpur  University,  Assam  University,  Guwahati University,  IIT  Guwahati,  IASST,  NEIST,  Dibrugarh  University  in  collaboration  with  Institutions  of national importance.

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