Dr Jitendra for initiating nationwide public outreach in technology, innovation, StartUps

STATE TIMES NEWS

NEW DELHI: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Thursday called upon scientific organisations and research institutions across the country to chalk out a roadmap for initiating a nationwide public outreach campaign to create awareness in science, technology, innovation related enabling provisions introduced by the Modi government for StartUps and potential entrepreneurs.
The Union Minister said, after the Chandrayaan-3 landing on the Moon, Dr Jitendra Singh said, there is a massive public interest generated in India’s Space exploration projects and the momentum needs to be sustained.
“This campaign will not only raise public awareness about our pioneering achievements by DST, CSIR, DBT, ISRO, DRDO & other scientific Departments during the more than nine years of the Government led by PM Modi, but also inspire and motivate the youth to contribute and be a part of this exciting journey,” he said.
Dr Jitendra was chairing a meeting of all Science Secretaries in New Delhi. The meeting was attended by Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, Professor Ajay Kumar Sood; Secretary, DST, Prof. Abhay Karandikar; Secretary, CSIR, Dr (Mrs) N. Kalaiselvi; Secretary, DBT, Dr Rajesh S. Gokhale; Secretary, Department of Space and Chairman, ISRO, S. Somanath; Director, BARC, took over the charge of Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, and Secretary Department of Atomic Energy, Dr. Ajit Kumar Mohanty, besides senior officers.
Lauding the ‘One Week One Lab’ student connect programme of CSIR-NIScPR conducted between Jan.1, 2023- Sep 24, 2023 by 37 CSIR Laboratories/Institutions during which their doors were thrown open to the students and public, Dr. Jitendra called for grooming innovation aptitude in school children.
“Innovative learning will contribute to make India a $5 trillion economy goal and fulfil the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” he said.
The S&T Minister said the INSPIRE scheme is helping create a scientific temper as every year there is an increasing number of aspiring students competing for the awards. The first-ever Mentorship Programme for Young Innovators was launched in November 2021 to mark the 75th Year of India’s Independence, he said.
Dr. Singh pointed out that flexible infrastructure grants are being provided to universities nationwide to keep up the vigour of conducting highly challenging R&D activities with an investment of Rs 950 Crores till date.
The Promotion of University Research and Scientific Excellence (PURSE) with a nationwide reach supports the university’s research ecosystem by making high-end research equipment available to our academicians/scientists, enabling our universities to compete with global standards. A new scheme, SUPREME, has also been launched to provide financial support for repair/ upgradation/ maintenance/ retrofitting or acquiring additional attachments to increase functional capabilities of existing Analytical Instrumentation Facilities (AIFs).
A total of 278 undergraduate colleges across the country comprising more than 1.5 lakh students are supported under the DBT Star College Scheme. This includes 55 colleges from rural areas and 15 colleges in Aspirational districts.
Dr Jitendra said, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is now steering the world in innovative technologies. We are on course to our target of reducing Greenhouse gases emission, and achieve Net Zero by 2070.
India is today one of the leading users of non-conventional energy including electric automobiles, wind & solar energy and the world’s first Hydrogen powered bus has been made in India, said the Minister. “The world is looking up to us for leads,” he said.
A lot of this has been possible because of groundbreaking reforms brought by Prime Minister Modi, including StartUp policy, National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Space sector and Drone deregulations, new geospatial policy, National Research Foundation etc, he said.
During the meeting, the Union Minister reviewed preparations for the 9th India International Science Festival (IISF) – 2024 to be held at the NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad from January 17-20, 2024.