Lok Sabha Question No. 5507 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-04-05
Subject: Scientific Institutions
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Kani K. Navas

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

## DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 5507 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.04.2023

## SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS

5507.  SHRI K. NAVASKANI:

Will the Minister of Science and Technology ͪव£ान और Ĥोɮयोͬगकȧ मंğी to state:

be pleased

- (a)  whether  the  Union  Government  subscribes  to  the  view  that  in  order  to encourage  innovation,  the  State  Governments  should  emphasize  on  the
- creation of more scientific institutions and simplification of processes;
- (b)  if  so,  the  details  thereof including the initiatives that are proposed to be taken by the Union Government in this regard; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

ͪव£ान और Ĥौɮयोͬगकȧ तथा पृ Øवी ͪव£ान मंğालय क े राÏय मंğी ( èवतंğ Ĥभार) (डॉ . िजतɅġ ͧसंह)

- (a) to (c):  Yes Sir, the Union Government subscribes to the view that in order to encourage innovation at the state level State Governments should emphasize on the creation of more scientific institutions and simplification of processes.

The Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India (GoI) is implementing several schemes and programmes through its three main wings namely the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR)/  Council  of  Scientific  and  Industrial  Research  (CSIR)  to  nurture  the support

Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) ecosystem through towards

- i.
- Research & Development (R&D)
- ii. S&T Institutional and Human Capacity Building,
- iii. Innovation, Technology Development and Deployment for socioeconomic development.

DST  is  supporting  20  Autonomous  Institutions  spread  across  the Geomagnetism, Nanoscience, Himalayan Geology, Science Communication etc. Similarly, DBT is  supporting  16  Autonomous  Institutes  in  the  area  of  Food  Biotechnology, country in the area of Basic Research, Astrophysics, Animal Biotechnology, Immunology, Biomedical Genomics etc.

In addition to the above, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) is also  involved  in  creating  cutting  edge  R&D  knowledgebase  &  innovation  in diverse  S&T  areas  across  the  country  through  a  dynamic  network  of  37 national laboratories, 39 outreach centres, 1 Innovation Complex and 3 units. These institutions provide significant technological intervention through R&D in several areas with regard to societal efforts, including environment, health, drinking water, food, housing, energy, farm and non-farm sectors.

DST  is  implementing  a  flagship  program  'Innovation  in  Science  Pursuit  for Inspired Research (INSPIRE)' to attract, encourage, nurture and train talented and meritorious students at the college and university level to study science subjects and opt for careers in R&D to build a pipeline of quality manpower, thereby  widening  the  R&D  manpower base of  the  country.   INSPIRE-MANAK (Million Minds Augmenting National Aspiration and Knowledge) is designed to attract  young  school  students  in  the  age  group  of  10-15  years  to  pursue science and career in research through creative and innovative thinking.

Under State  Science  and  Technology  Programme  (SSTP)  through  State  S&T Councils  are  strengthening  the  Science  Technology  and  Innovation  (STI) ecosystem through various systemic level interventions. To promote innovative  and  critical  thinking  among  students  enrolled  in  Professional Engineering/Masters  in  Sciences  courses  (B.  Tech/  BE/  M  Tech  /ME/  M.Sc.), DST supports the Student Project Program (SPP) to State S&T Councils under this  students  are  given  Rs  10,000/-  to  pursue  their  research  work.  SSP  has been  supported  in  Bihar,  Karnataka,  Kerala,  and  Tamil  Nadu.  Approx.  500 students are supported every year in each of the supported states under SSP. DST  has  established  24  Patent  Information  Centres  (PICs)  in  State  S&T Councils to nurture the innovation ecosystem. These PICs supports innovators to protect their innovations.

Apart  from  this  a  dedicated  institute  National  Innovation  Foundation  (NIF), under DST is involved to strengthen the grassroots technological innovations and  outstanding  traditional  knowledge.  NIF  has  a  mission  to  make  India  a creative  and  knowledge  based  nation  by  expanding  policy  and  institutional space for the grassroots technological innovators.

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