Lok Sabha Question No. 4217 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: National Programmes through DST, CSIR and DBT
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Shri Vishnu Datt Sharma

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4217 ANSWERED ON 18/03/2026

## NATIONAL PROGRAMMES THROUGH DST, CSIR AND DBT

## 4217.  SHRI VISHNU DATT SHARMA:

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

- whether  the  Government  is  implementing  national  programmes through Department of Science and Technology (DST), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Department of Biotechnology (DBT) to promote technology transfer, rural innovation, start-ups and science-driven
- (a) livelihood generation across regions;
- (b) whether  any  technology-demonstration  projects,  innovation  hubs, biotech  outreach  programmes  or  CSIR/DST  field  initiatives  have  been undertaken  in  the  districts  of  Katni,  Panna  and  town  of  Khajuraho  in Khajuraho Lok Sabha Constituency;
- (c) the  number of institutions,  youth  or  farmer  groups  benefitting  from such  initiatives  and  the  employment  or  enterprise  outcomes  achieved locally;
- (d) if coverage remains limited in these districts, the reasons therefor and corrective steps taken; and
- (e) the plan to extend science-based livelihood, incubation and technology-transfer support so that research outcomes translate into local economic growth and employment in this region?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) The  Government  of  India  has  implemented  a  range  of  national programmes  through  the  Department  of  Science  and  Technology  (DST), Council  of  Scientific  and  Industrial  Research  (CSIR),  and  Department  of Biotechnology (DBT) to strengthen the country's research and development (R&D) ecosystem, promote innovation and entrepreneurship, and facilitate the translation and dissemination of technologies across the nation. These initiatives focus on technology development, technology transfer, start-up promotion,  promotion  of  rural  innovation,  and  science-based  livelihood generation, thereby contributing to inclusive and sustainable socioeconomic development.

Department of Science and Technology (DST), through its entrepreneurship programs has extended end-to-end support to start-ups, nurturing them from the ideation stage to commercialization. The entrepreneurship programmes includes several components such as PRAYAS (Promoting and Accelerating Young  and  Aspiring  Innovators  &  Startups)  which  provides  prototyping grants  to  early-stage  innovative  ideas;  hand-holding  support  to  startups through a nationwide network of Technology Business Incubators (TBIs); seed funding to startups; and acceleration support to enable rapid scaling of start-up ventures.

DST has established Inclusive Technology Business Incubators (iTBIs) in Tier-2  and  Tier-3  cities,  particularly  in  regions  lacking  a  well-developed innovation ecosystem. These incubators promote inclusive entrepreneurship  with  special  focus  on  geographic  diversity,  women entrepreneurs, persons with special abilities, and marginalized communities.

DST has supported Technology Enabling Centres (TECs) in universities to promote  industry-academia-government  collaboration,  thereby  promoting technology transfer and strengthening the translational ecosystem, leading to regional innovation ecosystems and technological innovations.

DST, under its Science for Equity, Empowerment and Development (SEED) initiatives  has  supported  variety  of  schemes/programmes  for  societal development  by  infusing  S&T  based  interventions,  delivery  of  location specific science-led solutions and appropriate technologies for creation and improvement  of  sustainable  livelihoods.  The  programs  are  primarily  for enabling  disadvantaged  sections  of  the  society  viz.  SC/ST,  Divyangjan, Elderly, Economically weaker sections, and Women, with efforts to reach out to the remote areas, rural and far-reaching corners of the Nation. Major programmes under the SEED initiative include Scheme for Young Scientists and  Technologists  (SYST),  Technology  Interventions  for  Disabled  and Elderly  (TIDE),  Science  &  Technology  for  Women  (STW),  Strengthening, Upscaling & Nurturing Innovations for Livelihood (SUNIL), Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Hubs, Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Cells in State Science and Technology Councils, and R&D projects for SC & ST beneficiaries.

The National Innovation Foundation (NIF), DST, has strengthen grassroots technological innovations and traditional knowledge systems by scouting, supporting and scaling up innovations developed by grassroots innovators. NIF facilitates technology validation, intellectual property protection, and promotes  the  diffusion  of  sustainable  grassroots  innovations  to  address socio-economic and environmental challenges.

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under its National Laboratory Schemes has supported its constituent laboratories for carrying out R&D, including promotion of technology transfer, rural innovation, startups and science-driven livelihood generation across regions.

Further, a project entitled 'Creating livelihood opportunities in rural areas through CSIR technologies using UBA-VIBHA Network' was executed by CSIR  in  collaboration  with  Unnat  Bharat  Abhiyan  and  Vijnana  Bharati (VIBHA). In this project, various technology showcasing events and training programs based on CSIR technologies were organized across various states of  the  country.  Approximately  3400  participants,  including  persons  from SHGs/NGOs and farmers from various parts of the country, attended these showcasing events and training programmes in offline and online mode.

Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has implemented the Biotech-KISAN programme, a national farmer-centric mission of DBT to empower farmers through technology transfer and region-specific technology demonstrations. Further, the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), DBT has implemented various schemes and programs of national scale to support startups, innovators, incubation centres, universities,  academic  institutions,  and  industry.  BIRAC  also  oversees national programmes  aimed  at  promoting  technology  transfer, rural innovation,  start-ups,  and  science-driven  livelihood  generation  across regions of the country, thereby enabling inclusive growth of the biotechnology innovation ecosystem.

(b) to (c): CSIR-Central  Institute  of  Medicinal  and  Aromatic  Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), Lucknow and CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu  implemented  a  project titled 'Demonstration of Cultivation, Processing and Value Addition of Aromatic Crops in Bundelkhand Region' during 2017-2021, covering 14 districts of Bundelkhand,  including  Panna  and  Khajuraho  (Madhya  Pradesh).  The project  was  carried  out  in  collaboration  with  the  Fragrance  and  Flavour Development Centre (FFDC), Kannauj and Bundelkhand University, Jhansi. Under this initiative, over 100 training and awareness programmes were organized, benefiting more than 8,000 farmers and rural youth. Approximately  2,000  acres  were  brought  under  cultivation  of  aromatic crops  such  as  lemongrass,  palmarosa,  basil  and  vetiver,  and  25  field distillation  units  were  installed  for  essential  oil  production.  Additionally, 1,000 rural women were trained in producing incense sticks and fragrance cones  from  distillation  waste.  The  programme  facilitated  technology transfer and science-based livelihood generation in the Bundelkhand region and led to the establishment of more than 10 enterprises in the medicinal and aromatic plants ecosystem.

Further,  CSIR-National  Institute  of  Science  Communication  and  Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) hosts the Kisan Sabha App in collaboration with its industrial partner. The platform enables farmers, transporters and mandi dealers  to  connect  digitally  for  the  marketing  and  sale  of  agricultural produce. Through this platform, 236 farmers from Katni and Panna districts have registered.

- (d) The schemes and programmes are implemented through nationwide calls for proposals, under which eligible institutions, universities, research organizations and innovators from all regions, including Madhya Pradesh, submit proposals under the respective schemes. The selection of projects is  based  on  the  merit  and  relevance  of  proposals  received  from  eligible researchers, institutions, innovators and incubators.

The  Government  also  encourages  institutions  from  underserved  and emerging regions to actively participate in national programmes related to innovation,  incubation  and  technology  translation,  with  the  objective  of expanding their geographical reach and strengthening regional innovation ecosystems

- (e)     Through various programs of DST, DBT and CSIR, efforts have been made to enhance technology translation, incubation support and sciencebased livelihood initiatives across the country. These include support for Inclusive Technology Business Incubators (iTBIs), technology demonstration  projects,  rural  innovation  programmes  and  biotechnology outreach initiatives, along with strengthened collaboration among government agencies, academic institutions and local organizations. These initiatives  aim  to  facilitate  the  conversion  of  research  outcomes  into deployable technologies, enterprises and employment opportunities, thereby contributing to local economic development and livelihood generation in these regions.

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