Lok Sabha Question No. 330 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-12
Subject: Tara Initiative
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: KIRRON KHER

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.330 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12/12/2018

## TARA INITIATIVE

## 330. SHRIMATI KIRRON KHER:

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

(a) the number of voluntary organisations that have been identified in the last 4 years under the Core Support Programme of the Technology Advancement for Rural Areas (TARA) initiative;

(b) the details of some of the novel and adaptive technologies that have been developed and deployed under this initiative; and

(c) the details of the mechanism that ensures a 'bottom-up' programme planning with full community involvement in this initiative?

## 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. c­ÉÇ ´ÉvÉÇxÉ)

(a) TARA  scheme  aims  to  develop  &  deliver  innovative  technologies  through  adaptive  research, primarily for application in rural and remote areas. In this endeavor, S&T NGOs (Core Support Groups CSGs) supported by DST identify location-specific problems and convert these into research challenges for developing and demonstrating scalable technologies related to agriculture, energy, livelihoods security and drudgery reduction etc. in rural settings by building human capacities and skills though local institutional arrangements.  Presently,  25  CSGs  were  supported  during  last  four  years,  and  four  new  voluntary organizations  with  S&T  capabilities  have  been  identified  from  North-Eastern  region  and  Central  India under the Core Support Programme of the Technology Advancement for Rural Areas (TARA). (b) Several novel and/or adaptive technologies have been developed & deployed by CSGs  under TARA initiative such as development of community-owned & community-operated affordable safe water solution powered by solar energy in Bundelkhand region by Development Alternatives, Delhi;  Micro Solar Dome (Surya  Jyoti)  technology  to  provide  light  in  dark  &  dingy  interiors  of  rural  and  slum  dwellers    by  NB Institute of Rural Technology, Tripura; Solar Space & Water Heating System for high altitude mountain areas  by  Himalayan  Research  Group,  Shimla;  Improved  Watermill  with  varied  design  of    turbines  by Himalayan  Environmental  Studies  and  Conservation  Organization,  Dehrdaun;  Energy  Efficient  Cooking Devices by Technology Informatics Design Endeavour, Bangalore; Threshing cum de-husking machine by Madhya Pradesh Vigyan Sabha, Bhopal;  Food Processing Technology using Solar Dehydration Technology to produce value added fruit bars/rolls by Society for Energy Environment and Development, Hyderabad; Rice  De-husking  machine  &  Domestic  Egg  Incubator  by  Vigyan  Ashram,  Pune;  Livelihood  related technologies suitable for Arid/Desert Regions by BAIF, Barmer,  among others. (c) Core  support  program  of  TARA  initiative  ensures  people  centric  participatory  approaches  in technology development and deployment from conceptualization, development to implementation stage for rural  application  by  promoting close and  productive interaction  between different stakeholders including community  by  leveraging  of  technologies.  Process  mechanisms  involves  need  assessment  exercise  in identified technology gap areas and evolve scalable, appropriate and affordable technologies to address local challenges  involving  nearby  S&T  institutions/R&D  labs,  academic  institutions  as  well.  It  also  ensures backward and forward linkages for effective deployment and adoption of technologies through field level

- demonstration involving community at the grass roots level.
- ********