Lok Sabha Question No. 165 (STARRED), answered on 2021-02-12
Subject: Policy for Scientific Social Responsibility
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Manne Srinivas Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 165

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.02.2021

## POLICY FOR SCIENTIFIC SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

*165    SHRI MANNE SRINIVAS REDDY:

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

- (a)     whether the Government proposes to launch 'Scientific Social Responsibility' policy;
- (b)     if so, the details thereof;
- (c)      the  salient  features  of  the  said  policy  and  the  objectives
- intended to be achieved through the policy; and
- (d)     the progress made in this regard so far?

## ANSWER

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

वाय और परवार कयाण मंी , वान और ौयोगक मंी और पृवी वान मंी ( डॉ. हष वधन )

(a) to (d) : A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT AS REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 165 FOR 12.02.2021 REGARDING 'POLICY FOR SCIENTIFIC SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY '

(a)  to  (d):   Department  of  Science  and  Technology  (DST)  has  prepared  a draft policy for Scientific Social Responsibility. The draft Scientific Social Responsibility  (SSR)  Policy  seeks  to  harness  the  latent  potential  of  the scientific community  on  voluntary  basis,  strengthening  science  and society  linkages  and  thereby  making  S&T  ecosystem  responsive  to societal needs.  This primarily involves bridging science-society, sciencescience and society-science gaps, thereby bringing trust, partnership and responsibility of science at an accelerated pace towards achieving social goals.

The draft policy provides for implementation in the country through institutes, universities and colleges, and their knowledge workers, science centres, central ministries, state governments, their departments, and associated participation of the varied stakeholders  like  laboratories, autonomous agencies.

Some of the SSR activities include delivering lectures by scientists in  media,  sharing infrastructure  and  knowledge  resources,  S&T  based  empowerment  of women and weaker sections of the society by awareness building, training workshops, in schools  and  colleges,  writing popular articles programs, skill development through training and demonstration of solutions and technologies, etc.

The  beneficiaries  of  the  SSR  activity  comprise  of  any  community, individual  viz.  students,  teachers,  women's  groups; enterprises;

group, entity or farmers; self-help  groups; self-employed;  informal  sector micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs); startups; NGOs, etc.

The draft policy to be coordinated by Anchor Scientific Institutions (ASI) at the district level, State S&T Councils (SS&TCs) at the state level and by the Programme Monitoring Unit (PMU) of DST at the national level. A national portal would form a platform for linking the stakeholders and the  coordinating  agencies  including  society  and  for  reporting  of  SSR

activities and outcomes in the country.

The draft policy does not involve any significant financial implication,  as  all  SSR  Implementers,  both  in  public  and  private,  shall design their own action plan based on their overall SSR objectives to be adequately incentivized through internal budgetary support and manpower resources.  For  this  purpose,  a  modest  grant  to  be  set  aside  in  each research grant for SSR activities.

The draft policy has the potential to bring scientific and innovative solutions to societal problems, especially for the marginalized sections of society, and imparting thrust to the new initiatives of Government such as Transformation  of  Aspirational  Districts,  Make  in  India,  Swachh  Bharat and Digital India in achieving inclusive growth and sustainable development  towards  making  India  a  self-reliant  nation  (Atma  Nirbhar Bharat).

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