Lok Sabha Question No. 485 (STARRED), answered on 2022-04-06
Subject: Mission Innovation
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Jayanta Kumar Roy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.  485 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.04.2022

Mission Innovation

## *485. SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO: DR. JAYANTA KUMAR ROY:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY िवǒान और ŮौȨोिगकी मंũी be pleased to state:

- a) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  promote  Science  and  Technology  with  emphasis  on emerging areas and their applications for the development and support to the weaker sections of the society and if so, the details thereof;
- b) whether  India  has  played  a  crucial  role  in  launching  'Mission  Innovation'  which  is  a  global initiative and if so, the details thereof;
- c) the details of the funds allocated, released and utilized under 'Mission Innovation' during each of the last three years; and
- d) whether  the  Government  has  allocated  funds  for  Research  &  Development  (R&D)  Projects under smart  grids engaging various  Indian  and foreign institutes and industries  and if  so,  the details thereof; and
- e) the other steps being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

िवǒान और ŮौȨोिगकी तथा पृțी िवǒान मंũालय क े राǛ मंũी ( ˢतंũ Ůभार ) ( डॉ . िजतŐū िसंह )

(a), (b), (c), (d) & (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  IN  RESPECT  OF  LOK  SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  *485  TO  BE ANSWERED ON 06.04.2022 REGARDING 'MISSION INNOVATION'

- (a) The Ministry of Science & Technology through Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Department of Science  and  Technology  (DST),  Science  and  Engineering  Research  Board  (SERB)  and  Council  of Scientific  and  Industrial  Research  (CSIR)  is  promoting  Science  and  Technology  with  emphasis  on emerging  areas  to  make  the  technologies  affordable  and  accessible  to  the  weaker  sections  of  the society through various Schemes and Programmes. Some of them are: clean energy, waste to energy, vaccine development and diagnostics, nanotechnology, vaccine research and few others.

Several DBT programmes support weaker section of the society: (i) 36 Biotech-KISAN Hubs have been established in collaboration with ICAR covering all 15 agro-climatic zones across the country. This  includes  112  Aspirational  Districts.  Over  2  lakh  farmers  have  got  benefitted.  Over  200  rural entrepreneurships  have  also  been  developed.  (ii)  Supported  66  projects  in  last  5  years  and  nearly 39,000 rural, SC/ST and women population including youth have been benefitted in agriculture and allied sectors.  (iii) Under Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) initiatives of DBT and BIRAC, the programmes have been supported to develop affordable clean off-grid toilets contributing to Swachh Bharat  mission.  These  toilets  work  in  remote  areas  to  support  weaker  sections  of  our  society providing hygienic sanitary conditions. (iv) Maternal and Child health initiatives is directed towards initiating  on  reducing  wasting  and  stunting  syndrome  for  children.  The  focus  is  to  monitor  and improve the nutritional profile of pre-pregnant women and post 1000 days of child birth in semi rural settings. (v) DBT alongwith its autonomous institutions and a PSU, BIRAC has contributed towards combating Covid-19 pandemic across the country including weaker sections of the Society. (vi) DBTInstitute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar along with CSIR has been implementing several interventions aimed  at  empowerment  of  socially  and  economically  disadvantageous  tribal  and  rural  farming communities  of  Nabarangapur  district  (Aspirational  and  tribal  dominated  District  of  Odisha),  and other regions of Odisha.

CSIR  is  focusing  on:  (i)  CSIR  Aroma  and  Floriculture  Mission  for  catalyzing  rural  empowerment through cultivation, processing, value addition and marketing of aromatic/fragrant plants (with KVIC, TRIFED,  APEDA,  ICAR.  Under  this,  >1000  farmers  in  Jammu  and  Kashmir  got  benefitted;  (ii) demonstration and deployment of innovative, cost-effective and smart technologies for measuring and monitoring water service delivery for safe and sustainable water resource management at pilot location across  the  country  (with  Jal  Jeevan  Mission,  Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti);  (iii)  Improved  Samba  Mahsuri variety for Bacterial blight resistance with low glycemic index Rice, 7-10 days early maturation than existing variety  which is being cultivated in  about 9,00,000 hectares in India benefiting farmers and society; (iv) Promoting Seaweed farming for enhancing the income of coastal farmers in association with National Fisheries Development Board, Hyderabad to get the assured income jointly with private companies for capacity building and hands on training to the fishermen of coastal areas; and (vi) CSIR collaborating with Unnat Bharat Abhiyan to provide an enabling platform to work jointly for creating livelihood  opportunities  in  rural  areas  especially  in  the  wake  of  situation  created  by  COVID-19 epidemic.

DST, SERB and DBT have specific schemes for Innovation Technology Development and Human Capacity  Building  including  woman  empowerment  and  Equity  Opportunities  for  Excellence  in Science.

- (b) The Mission Innovation is a global initiative of 22 countries and the European Commission (on behalf of the European Union) catalyzing investment in research, development and demonstration to make clean  energy affordable, attractive and accessible for all.   Mission  Innovation was launched during 21 st Conference of the Parties ( COP 21) in November 2015, in presence of Hon'ble Prime Minister, India along  with  world  leaders.  India  has  played  pivotal  role  in  Mission  Innovation  programs,  by participating in various areas of Clean Energy Innovation Challenges through collaborative projects and also supporting start-ups at their early stage of innovations.  Building on success of last five years joint  efforts,  India  along  with  other  Mission  Innovation  members  has  also  agreed  to  continue  its commitment  for  phase  2.0  for  another  5  years  by  participating  in  Missions  and  Platforms  for translating knowledge towards deployable solutions.
- (c) Funds Allocated, released and utilized under Mission Innovation during each of the last three years-
- (d) Government  has  allocated  funds  to  R&D  projects  under  Smart  Grids  engaging  various  Indian  and Foreign institutes and industries. Department of Science & Technology is supporting R & D Projects on  Smart  Grids  at  various  National  Institutes,  Universities,  IITs  in  collaboration  with  partnering institutes  from  Canada,  Norway,  UK, Germany, USA, Australia, Italy. DST has allocated Rs.31.36 crores to support the projects on smart grids.
- (e) The  Government  of  India  has  made  concerted  efforts  to  accelerate  start-up  technologies,  greater public  engagement  towards  research,  development  and  demonstration  for  affordable  clean  energy solutions by initiating collaborative platforms and missions.

|            | Amount (Rs. in Crore)   | Amount (Rs. in Crore)   |
|------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
| Year       | Allocated               | Released and Utilized   |
| FY 2018-19 | 68.52                   | 41.24                   |
| FY 2019-20 | 44.63                   | 29.63                   |
| FY 2020-21 | 34.09                   | 19.97                   |
| Total      | 147.24                  | 90.84                   |

*****