Lok Sabha Question No. 970 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-07
Subject: Indian Science Congress
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Shriniwas Dadasaheb Patil, Supriya Sadanand Sule, Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Amol Ramsing Kolhe, Gautham Sigamani Pon

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

UNSTARRED QUESTION No.970 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07/02/2020

## INDIAN SCIENCE CONGRESS

970. SHRI SHRINIWAS PATIL:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE: SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA: DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE:

SHRI GAUTAM SIGAMAANI PON:

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

- (a) whether the Government has held 107th Indian Science Congress in Bengaluru recently;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the achievements made through organising such Indian Science Congress;
- (c) the  number  of  foreign  and  Indian  delegates  who  participated  and  various  issues deliberated in the said Congress along with the outcome thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has taken any action on the outcomes/decisions of the preceding Indian Science Congress; and
- (e) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  other  steps  taken  by  the  Government  for  translational science towards promoting affordable sustainable innovation?

## 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) & (b):  Yes Sir. The 107 th Annual Session of the Indian Science Congress (ISC) was held at University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru during 03 rd to 07 th January, 2020. The Children Science Congress, Women  Science Congress, Farmer-centric Science Congress, Science Exhibition  and  Science  Communicators'  Meet  were  also  organized  during  the  above  period. Proceedings of the conference, journals, reports and other materials were circulated among the participants to popularize science and to create a scientific temper among the people of India. Through  this  process,  the  Indian  Science  Congress  Association  has  been  contributing  to  the development of Science in general and National Science Policy, in particular.
- (c) About 15,000 participants, including Nobel Laureates, Scientists, intellectuals, academicians,  policy  makers,  researchers,  students  and  delegates  from  different  institutions

participated in the event. 14 Sectional meetings on subjects of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Animal, Veterinary and Fishery  Sciences,  Anthropological  and  Behavioral  Sciences  (Including Archaeology,  Psychology,  Education  and  Military  Sciences),  Chemical  Sciences,  Earth  System Sciences,  Engineering  Sciences,  Environmental  Sciences,  Information  and  Communication Science & Technology (Including Computer Sciences), Materials Science, Mathematical Sciences (Including Statistics), Medical Sciences (Including Physiology), New Biology (Including Biochemistry,  Biophysics,  Molecular  Biology  and  Biotechnology),  Physical  Sciences  and  Plant Sciences, were held during the congress. The recommendations of these meetings as an outcome of  the  Congress  were  circulated  among  the  participants  for  sensitizing  the  rural  and  student communities.

(d) & (e):  The recommendations of the 14 sectional meetings of 107 th ISC, were circulated to 28 Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA)  regional chapters. These chapters envisage constructive work for the popularization and advancement of science throughout the year.

Ministry of Science and Technology has taken several steps for translational science and promotion of affordable and sustainable innovations. Some major initiatives in this direction are as follows:

- (i) Department of Science  and  Technology (DST) has  established  five  Technical    Research Centres    (TRCs)    in    the    existing    autonomous    institutions    of    the    department  to reinforce translational research.
- (ii) DST has also collaborated with Ministry of  Human Resource Development (MHRD) in Impacting  Research  Innovation  and  Technology  (IMPRINT)  Project.  The  initiative expands the catchment of implementing institutions by adopting a more demand- driven strategy  of  solution  development  and  incorporates  specific  externalities  of  the  states  of India so as to make end- user translation and technology adoption easier.
- (iii) Department  of  Biotechnology  (DBT)  promotes  innovative  Research  and  Development activities in the field of Biotechnology through research institution, scientific organizations and universities. The department also promotes translational research through its public sector undertaking Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council  (BIRAC). BIRAC has been supporting innovative research & development activities in the area of biotechnology  through  various  programs.  The  support  is  provided  across  all  stages  of product  development  including  ideation,  proof  of  concept,  prototyping,  pilot scale development, validation and product development.
- (iv) The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is pursuing cutting edge science and developing technologies, products and knowledge based services in diverse areas such as  Aerospace,  Electronics  and  Instrumentation  &  Strategic  Sector;  Civil  Infrastructure and Engineering; Mining, Minerals, Metals and Materials; Chemicals (including leather) and  Petrochemicals; Energy  (conventional and  non-conventional);  Energy Devices; Ecology, Environment, Earth Sciences and Water; Agri, Nutrition & Biotechnology; and Healthcare.  Taking  further  steps  for  giving  more  emphasis  on  translational  research, CSIR is implementing two types of projects, viz. Fast Track Translational Projects and Mission Mode Projects.

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