Lok Sabha Question No. 4470 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-19
Subject: Emerging Areas of Science and Technology
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Tapir Gao

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4470 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19/7/2019

## EMERGING AREAS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## 4470.  SHRI TAPIR GAO:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY वान और ौयोगक मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  functioning  is  focused  on  Science  and  Technology  (S&T)  with emphasis  on  emerging  areas  and  promotion  of  science  related  subjects,  their  application  for  the development and support to the weaker sections of the society, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  there  is  a  policy  in  place  for  development  of  S&T  in  North  Eastern  region  with adequate infrastructure, if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the  road  map  for  the  promotion  of  S&T  along  with  the  thrust  areas  identified  for  its timebound development?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE; MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

वाय और परवार कयाण मंी ; वान और ौयोगक मंी ; और पृ वी वान मंी

डॉ. हष वधन

- (a) Yes Sir. The Government is focusing on promotion of Research, Development, Demonstration  and  training  in  the  emerging  areas  of  Science  &  Technology  like  Clean  Energy, Sustainable Water Technologies, Nano Science and Technology, Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems,  Biotechnology,  Assistive  Technologies  etc  for  development  and  support  to  the  weaker sections  of  the  society  viz.  Schedule  Caste  &  Scheduled  Tribe  Population,  Women, Disabled  and Elderly communities. Some of them are as follows:
- i. Several assistive devices like Interline Braille Slate, Refreshable Braille Device, Wheel Chairs For Different Built Environments, automatic dispenser systems for oral medication, communication system for comatose and patients with multiple disabilities, bus identification system for visually challenged, Transradial Prosthetic Arm, Functional Electrical Simulation System, low cost teaching aids for children with learning disabilities, sign language convertors were developed under the programme Technology Interventions for Disabled and Elderly.
- ii. Under the 'S&T for Women' programme, a thermal sensor based monitoring system for early detection  of  breast  cancer;  a  simple  wearable  device  for  screening,  absolutely  painless, portable, quick test time has been developed. Under Women Technology Parks, local women have  been  trained  in  emerging  technologies  like  3D  printing  of  chocolates  and  renewable energy based fish processing system.
- iii.  Under  the  Schemes,  Scheduled  Caste  Sub  Plan  and  Tribal  Sub  Plan,  training  and  capacity building programmes in the emerging areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Machine Learning (ML), Deep Learning (DL), Big Data Analytics, Robotics, Quantum Computing,  Quantum  Communication,  Quantum  encryption  (Quantum  Key  Distribution),

Data  Science  &  Predictive  analytics,  Cyber  Security  for  physical  infrastructure  are  being conducted for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe population.

- iv.  Under the 'Empowerment and Equity Opportunities for Excellence in Science' programme of Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) grant in aid support has been provided to 450  researchers  belonging  to  the  Scheduled  Caste  and  Scheduled  Tribe  for  undertaking research in emerging areas of science and engineering during last two years.

(b) No  Sir,  the  Ministry  of  Science  and  Technology  does  not  have  a  specific  policy  for  the development of S&T in North Eastern region. However, Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has earmarked 10% of its total annual budget towards biotechnology-based developmental activities in the North Eastern Region (NER) of India.

(c) Various steps taken for the promotion of S&T along with the thrust areas identified for time bound development of North Eastern Region are as follows:

- i. DBT has already initiated  several  region-specific  schemes/programs  with  the  intervention  of biotechnology  in  all  eight  states  of  the  NER  in  thrust  areas  like  agriculture,  medical  and veterinary  sciences.  The  programs  are  towards  human  resource  development,  research infrastructure  creation,  flagship  R&D  programs  and  specific  network  programs  addressing local issues including entrepreneurship development.
- ii. DST  is  in  the  process  of  setting  up  Women  Technology  Parks,  Science  Technology  and Innovation  Hubs  in  the  NER  region  to  develop,  nurture  and  ensure  the  development, improvement  and  delivery  of  appropriate  and  relevant  S&T  approaches  for  Creation  of Sustainable Livelihoods and enhancing the Quality of Life of the women, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe population in the North Eastern Region.
- iii. North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR), an autonomous institute of DST  is  scouting and  demonstrating  location  specific technologies in the sectors of Agriculture with specific focus on bamboo, food processing, disaster management, telecommunication to generate employment, create sustainable livelihoods and income in North Eastern Region.
- iv.   R&D  Infrastructure  has  been  established  through  Sophisticated  Analytical  Instrumentation facility progarmme (SAIF) at North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong and Guwahati University, Guwahati under  Fund for Improvement of Science and Technology Infrastructure (FIST) programme. Under the same programme, 35 Departments of the Universities in North Eastern states have been supported for infrastructure augmentation.

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