Lok Sabha Question No. 445 (STARRED), answered on 2025-04-02
Subject: Western Ghats Project
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Shri Govind Makthappa Karjol

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

## STARRED QUESTION No. *445 ANSWERED ON 02/04/2025

## WESTERN GHATS PROJECT

- *445. SHRI GOVIND MAKTHAPPA KARJOL:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has received any request regarding springshed management and linking of ecohydrological processes to human well-being in water-scarce regions of the Western Ghats using geospatial technology under Department of Science & Technology (DST) Project;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has taken any initiatives on abovesaid project;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the details of the steps taken by the Government to implement this project?

## ANSWER

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

विज्ञान और प्रौद्योगिकी तथा पृ थ्िी विज्ञान मंत्रालय क े राज्य मंत्री ( स्ितंत्र प्रभार)

(डॉ . जितेंद्र स ंह)

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

## STATEMENT AS REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 445 FOR 02.04.2025 REGARDING WESTERN GHATS PROJECT

(a) to (b): Yes.  A  call  for  proposals  (CFP)  on  'Geospatial Technology and Solutions' was issued on 13 th  June 2024 through the Electronic  Project  Management  System  Portal  (e-PMS  portal),  in which Proposals were invited only in consortium mode, comprising academia, startups/MSMEs/industry, and user-agencies/practitioners.

A  total  of  280  proposals  were  received  under  this  CFP.  The proposal titled 'Spring Shed Management and linking of Ecohydrological  processes  to  Human  well-being  in  water-scarce regions of the Western Ghats using Geospatial Technology' was also received online under the above said CFP.  The proposal aimed to develop  a  Geographical  Information  System  (GIS)-based  Spring Information  System  for  selected  districts  of  Western  Ghats  for assessing climate and land use impacts on watershed hydrology.

(c) to (d): Yes. A Project Screening Committee was constituted  under  the  Chairmanship  of  an  eminent  professor  and other Expert members representing, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Survey of India (SoI), Council for Scientific and Industrial  Research  (CSIR),  Central  Universities,  Other  IITs,  Indian Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR),  as  well  as  from  private sector etc. The total 280 proposals received online through e-PMS portal,  were  presented  before  the  Project  Screening  Committee during its meeting held on 26 th -27 th  September 2024 at IIT Delhi. The said  proposal  was  not  recommended  by  the  Project  Screening Committee  for  the  next  level  as  the  committee  opined  that  'The proposal seems to be more research focused lacking scalability and commercialization potential; the consortium partner appears to lack experience and/or expertise'. Out of the 280 proposals, committee finally recommended 11 proposals for financial support.

- (e) Not Applicable.

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