Lok Sabha Question No. 5992 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-04-01
Subject: Women benefited from Schemes
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Dr. Shivaji Bandappa Kalge, Shri Gyaneshwar Patil

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

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5992 ANSWERED ON 01/04/2026

## WOMEN BENEFITED FROM SCHEMES

## †5992.  DR. SHIVAJI BANDAPPA KALGE:

## SHRI GYANESHWAR PATIL:

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

- the details of the ongoing schemes related to science and technology in  different  parts  of  the  country,  particularly  in  Madhya  Pradesh  and
- (a) Maharashtra;
- (b) the details of number of people particularly women benefited from these schemes and got helped in starting their own business and State and districtwise particularly in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra;
- (c)
- the State-wise and district-wise details thereof;
- (d) the  positive  steps  taken/being  taken/proposes  to  be  taken  by  the Government  for  smooth  functioning  of  these  schemes  and  to  make  them accessible  to  the  people  in  rural  areas  of  the  country  particularly  in Maharashtra and to ensure the benefits of these schemes for all the people; and
- (e) the details of the steps taken by the Government in this regard so far?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) The Ministry of Science and Technology is implementing a wide range of schemes  across  India,  including  Madhya  Pradesh  and  Maharashtra,  to strengthen research, innovation, and inclusive participation in science. Key initiatives  such  as  the  Women  in  Science  and  Engineering-KIRAN  (WISEKIRAN)  promote  women's  participation  through  fellowships  like  WISE-PhD, WISE-Post Doctoral Fellowship (WISE-PDF), WISE-SCOPE, WIDUSHI, and WISEIPR, supporting careers from doctoral to senior research levels. The INSPIRE Programme  nurtures  talent  from  school  to  postdoctoral  stages  through components like INSPIRE-MANAK and INSPIRE-SHE. Innovation and entrepreneurship are encouraged through National Initiative for Developing

and  Harnessing  Innovations  (NIDHI)  and  Technology  Business  Incubators (TBIs), including Promoting and Accelerating Young and Aspiring Innovators and Startups (PRAYAS) for prototype development. Research infrastructure is strengthened via schemes like Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure (FIST)  and  Promotion  of  University  Research  and  Scientific  Excellence (PURSE),  along  with  facilities  such  as  Sophisticated  Analytical  Instrument Facilities (SAIF), Sophisticated Analytical & Technical Help Institutes (SATHI) and  Mega  Facilities  for  Basic  Research  (MFBR).  Thematic  programmes including  State  Science  and  Technology  Programme  (SSTP),  Science  and Heritage  Research  Initiative  (SHRI),  Science  and  Technology  for  Yoga  and Meditation  (SATYAM)  and  Cognitive  Science  Research  Initiative  (CSRI) promote region-specific and interdisciplinary research, while outreach efforts by National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) have supported 45 projects in Madhya Pradesh and 11 in Maharashtra. Under the Science for Equity, Empowerment and Development (SEED) Division, during the  last  three  years,  one  project  in  Maharashtra  was  supported  under  the Strengthening,  Upscaling  and  Nurturing  Innovations  for  Livelihood  (SUNIL) programme, while two projects in Madhya Pradesh were supported under the Science and Technology for Women (STW) programme. National missions such as  National  Supercomputing  Mission,  National  Mission  on  Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical  Systems,  and  National  Quantum  Mission  aim  to  advance emerging technologies, while the Department of Biotechnology runs Biotechnology Career Advancement and Re-orientation Programme (Bio-CARe) for  career  development  in  biotechnology.  Additionally,  the  Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) supports broad-based and focused R&D through  grants  like  Advanced  Research  Grant  (ARG),  Prime  Minister  Early Career Research Grant (PMECRG), Inclusivity Research Grant (IRG), Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR),  National  PostDoctoral Fellowship (NPDF) and Ramanujan Fellowship, alongside prestigious recognitions such as the National Science Chair and JC Bose Grant, having funded  52  projects  in  Madhya  Pradesh  and  117  in  Maharashtra,  thereby significantly contributing  to scientific  capacity  building  and  innovation nationwide.

(b) to (c): The Government has implemented a wide range of initiatives to promote women's participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), with measurable outcomes over the past decade. These schemes  have  significantly  contributed  to  supporting  women  at  different stages of their academic and professional journeys, including helping many restarts or establish their careers in research and development. The details of

## number of women benefited during the last three years from these schemes are given below:

| State/UTs            |   Vigyan Jyoti |   WISE- PhD |   WISE- PDF |   CURIE |   INPIRE- MANAK |   SHE |   INSPIRE Fellowship |   INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship |
|----------------------|----------------|-------------|-------------|---------|-----------------|-------|----------------------|------------------------------|
| Andaman and Nicobar  |            315 |           1 |           0 |       0 |              21 |     0 |                    0 |                            0 |
| Andhra Pradesh       |           2669 |           0 |           2 |       1 |            5871 |     1 |                   35 |                            1 |
| Arunachal Pradesh    |            974 |           0 |           1 |       0 |              13 |     0 |                    3 |                            0 |
| Assam                |           3644 |          11 |           4 |       0 |             177 |    49 |                   59 |                            1 |
| Bihar                |           3352 |           0 |           0 |       0 |            3225 |   170 |                    6 |                            0 |
| Chandigarh           |            303 |           4 |           9 |       1 |             168 |     4 |                   25 |                            0 |
| Chhattisgarh         |           3861 |           2 |           0 |       2 |            4353 |   522 |                   10 |                            2 |
| Dadar, Nagar Haveli, |            588 |           0 |           0 |       0 |              32 |     1 |                    0 |                            0 |
| Delhi                |            595 |          12 |          33 |       2 |             300 |    75 |                   76 |                           19 |
| Goa                  |            304 |           2 |           3 |       0 |              79 |     4 |                   17 |                            2 |
| Gujarat              |           4888 |           6 |           6 |       0 |            1878 |    95 |                   45 |                            3 |
| Haryana              |           4075 |           1 |           1 |       0 |            1432 |    93 |                   23 |                            3 |
| Himachal             |           2704 |           0 |           2 |       1 |             755 |   208 |                   23 |                            2 |
| Jammu and Kashmir    |           2425 |          10 |          12 |       0 |            1506 |    23 |                   48 |                            4 |
| Jharkhand            |           3569 |           1 |           1 |       0 |            2474 |    12 |                   11 |                            3 |
| Karnataka            |           3608 |          10 |          12 |       2 |           11213 |    33 |                  103 |                           26 |
| Kerala               |           2790 |          26 |          12 |       7 |             567 |   630 |                   86 |                            6 |
| Ladakh               |            499 |           0 |           0 |       0 |              22 |     0 |                    0 |                            0 |
| Lakshadweep          |              0 |           0 |           0 |       0 |               6 |     0 |                    0 |                            0 |
| Madhya               |           4056 |           9 |           4 |       2 |            2949 |   834 |                   41 |                            3 |
| Maharashtra          |           5008 |          20 |          17 |       2 |            3455 |   232 |                   86 |                           22 |
| Manipur              |           1220 |           5 |           1 |       0 |               7 |   123 |                    3 |                            0 |
| Meghalaya            |           1093 |           0 |           0 |       0 |              17 |    42 |                    6 |                            1 |
| Mizoram              |            259 |           2 |           3 |       0 |              13 |     6 |                    7 |                            0 |
| Nagaland             |            301 |           1 |           1 |       0 |               1 |    14 |                    2 |                            0 |

| State/UTs     | Vigyan WISE- WISE- CURIE INPIRE- SHE INSPIRE INSPIRE   | Vigyan WISE- WISE- CURIE INPIRE- SHE INSPIRE INSPIRE   | Vigyan WISE- WISE- CURIE INPIRE- SHE INSPIRE INSPIRE   | Vigyan WISE- WISE- CURIE INPIRE- SHE INSPIRE INSPIRE   | Vigyan WISE- WISE- CURIE INPIRE- SHE INSPIRE INSPIRE   | Vigyan WISE- WISE- CURIE INPIRE- SHE INSPIRE INSPIRE   | Vigyan WISE- WISE- CURIE INPIRE- SHE INSPIRE INSPIRE   | Vigyan WISE- WISE- CURIE INPIRE- SHE INSPIRE INSPIRE   |
|---------------|--------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|
|               | Jyoti                                                  | PhD                                                    | PDF                                                    |                                                        | MANAK                                                  |                                                        | Fellowship                                             | Faculty Fellowship                                     |
| Odisha        | 3662                                                   | 5                                                      | 4                                                      | 1                                                      | 5691                                                   | 52                                                     | 39                                                     | 2                                                      |
| Puducherry    | 1195                                                   | 1                                                      | 0                                                      | 0                                                      | 81                                                     | 3                                                      | 5                                                      | 0                                                      |
| Punjab        | 4072                                                   | 9                                                      | 14                                                     | 2                                                      | 673                                                    | 105                                                    | 63                                                     | 10                                                     |
| Rajasthan     | 4773                                                   | 4                                                      | 1                                                      | 1                                                      | 10107                                                  | 3128                                                   | 25                                                     | 2                                                      |
| Sikkim        | 454                                                    | 0                                                      | 0                                                      | 0                                                      | 33                                                     | 0                                                      | 4                                                      | 0                                                      |
| Tamil Nadu    | 0                                                      | 21                                                     | 14                                                     | 10                                                     | 2198                                                   | 24                                                     | 127                                                    | 8                                                      |
| Telangana     | 2415                                                   | 13                                                     | 22                                                     | 2                                                      | 4596                                                   | 32                                                     | 81                                                     | 6                                                      |
| Tripura       | 832                                                    | 3                                                      | 0                                                      | 0                                                      | 94                                                     | 1                                                      | 6                                                      | 0                                                      |
| Uttarakhand   | 2661                                                   | 8                                                      | 7                                                      | 0                                                      | 2686                                                   | 486                                                    | 42                                                     | 1                                                      |
| Uttar Pradesh | 6672                                                   | 10                                                     | 16                                                     | 2                                                      | 7531                                                   | 7574                                                   | 87                                                     | 14                                                     |
| West Bengal   | 3181                                                   | 18                                                     | 25                                                     | 0                                                      | 28                                                     | 333                                                    | 91                                                     | 12                                                     |

The details of number of women benefited from NIDHI-PRAYAS scheme who got supported in starting their start-up/business in the last ten years is given below:

| State/UTs         |   No. of NIDHI-PRAYAS Beneficiaries |
|-------------------|-------------------------------------|
| Andhra Pradesh    |                                  23 |
| Assam             |                                   3 |
| Bihar             |                                   5 |
| Chandigarh        |                                   1 |
| Chhattisgarh      |                                   1 |
| Delhi             |                                  15 |
| Goa               |                                   2 |
| Gujarat           |                                  27 |
| Haryana           |                                  10 |
| Himachal Pradesh  |                                   4 |
| Jammu and Kashmir |                                   5 |
| Jharkhand         |                                   1 |
| Karnataka         |                                 100 |
| Kerala            |                                  45 |
| Madhya Pradesh    |                                   7 |
| Maharashtra       |                                  66 |
| Manipur           |                                   1 |
| Odisha            |                                  25 |
| Punjab            |                                   1 |

| State/UTs     |   No. of NIDHI-PRAYAS Beneficiaries |
|---------------|-------------------------------------|
| Rajasthan     |                                  17 |
| Tamil Nadu    |                                  95 |
| Telangana     |                                  44 |
| Uttarakhand   |                                   6 |
| Uttar Pradesh |                                  24 |
| West Bengal   |                                   6 |

The  state-wise  and  district-wise  number  of  women  benefited  from  NIDHIPRAYAS scheme in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are given below:

| State          | District    |   No. of NIDHI-PRAYAS Beneficiaries |
|----------------|-------------|-------------------------------------|
| Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal      |                                   3 |
| Madhya Pradesh | Gwalior     |                                   2 |
| Madhya Pradesh | Indore      |                                   1 |
| Madhya Pradesh | Ujjain      |                                   1 |
| Maharashtra    | Amravati    |                                   2 |
| Maharashtra    | Aurangabad  |                                   2 |
| Maharashtra    | Dhule       |                                   1 |
| Maharashtra    | Kolhapur    |                                   1 |
| Maharashtra    | Mumbai City |                                  22 |
| Maharashtra    | Nagpur      |                                   2 |
| Maharashtra    | Nashik      |                                   3 |
| Maharashtra    | Pune        |                                  28 |
| Maharashtra    | Raigad      |                                   2 |
| Maharashtra    | Satara      |                                   1 |
| Maharashtra    | Thane       |                                   2 |

(d) to (e): The Government has undertaken a wide range of proactive and coordinated measures to ensure the smooth functioning of STEM-related schemes and to make them accessible to people across the country including rural  areas  of  Maharashtra.  These  efforts  focus  on  expanding  access, improving transparency, strengthening infrastructure, and ensuring inclusive participation  so  that  the  benefits  of  these  initiatives  reach  all  sections  of society.  To  enhance  accessibility  and  participation,  the  Government  has promoted broad-based inclusion by extending research funding and opportunities to universities, colleges, and institutions in both urban and rural regions.  Special  emphasis  has  been  placed  on  enabling  institutions  in underserved areas to actively participate in national programmes. A hub-andspoke model has been encouraged, wherein leading institutions mentor and

collaborate with smaller or rural institutions, thereby improving their research capabilities and access to resources.

Digitalization has been a key step toward ensuring efficiency and transparency in the implementation of schemes. Online portals have been developed and upgraded to facilitate the submission, monitoring, and evaluation of proposals, making processes more user-friendly and accessible even in remote areas. Enhancements  to  platforms  such  as  the  INSPIRE-MANAK  portal  including chatbot  support,  improved  data  synchronization,  and  simplified  nomination processes have further reduced barriers for students and schools, especially in rural regions.

The  Government  has  also  focused  on  strengthening  infrastructure  and research facilities across the country. Through schemes like FIST and PURSE, financial support has been provided to institutions for upgrading laboratories and acquiring modern equipment. Additionally, shared facilities such as SAIF and SATHI have been established to provide access to advanced scientific instruments  for  institutions  that  may  not  have  such  resources,  thereby ensuring equitable access for rural and smaller institutions.

Capacity  building  has  been  another  major  area  of  intervention.  Training programmes for teachers and researchers, including initiatives under Inspiring India  in  Research  Innovation  and  STEM  Education  (iRISE)  have  been implemented to improve teaching quality, promote innovation-driven learning, and strengthen research skills. Early-career researchers are being supported through mentorship, industry exposure, and skill development opportunities, enabling them to contribute effectively to scientific advancement. Outreach and engagement activities have been expanded to increase awareness and participation. Science exhibitions, competitions, mentorship programmes, and institutional visits have been organized to inspire students and provide them with exposure to real-world STEM applications.

So  far,  these  steps  have  resulted  in  improved  participation  from  rural institutions,  greater  transparency  in  scheme  implementation,  enhanced infrastructure and research capacity, and increased access to mentorship and learning resources. Together, these measures have created a more inclusive and  robust  ecosystem  that  ensures  the  effective  delivery  of  Government schemes and equitable access to their benefits for people across the country including rural areas of Maharashtra.

*****