Objectives
-->   Catalyse and support research, development and adaptation of relevant and appropriate technologies for empowering
         and improving quality of life of Artisans, Landless Labour, Women, SC/ST and other disadvantaged sections, 
         particularly in rural areas
-->   Preserve and upgrade skills of traditional artisans as “natural carriers” of S&T knowledge/ capabilities and enable their 
         transition to S&T – based production organisations
-->   Strengthen, Catalyse and support linkages between existing Field Groups, S&T NGOs, Colleges/ Universities and S&T 
         Institutions involved in R&D and application of innovative solutions for development of disadvantaged sections 
         especially in rural areas
-->   Motivate scientists and technologists to apply their expertise to problems of disadvantaged sections
-->   Involve and provide opportunities for Young Scientists in pursuing innovative research on societal problems
-->   Thus evolve demonstrate replicable models of S&T-based development for benefit of disadvantaged sections, and
-->   Catalyse linkages with Developmental Agencies/ Departments and Financial Institutions so as to promote integration of 
         these models with wider developmental processes

Perspective & Approach
-->   Need – based, location- specific and appropriate S&T intervention
-->   Respect for traditional knowledge, techniques, skills and wisdom
-->   “Bottom-up” rather than top-down programme planning
-->   Full community involvement and participation in programme planning, implementation and monitoring
-->   Economically viable, ecologically sustainable and socially acceptable development

DST’s Science & Society Schemes
-->   S&T Application for Rural Development (STARSD)
-->   S&T for Weaker Sections (STAWS)
-->   S&T for Women
-->   Special Component Plan for Scheduled Castes
-->   Tribal Sub- Plan
-->   Young Scientists Scheme

Priorities
-->   Action- oriented, innovative field- based programmes for technology demonstration and utilization by S&T Field Groups
         in partnership with the target groups
-->   Technology generation and adaptation programmes by S&T Institutions and S&T- NGOs in collaboration with Field 
         Groups and the target population
-->   Specific S&T application programmes to tackle problems of Women, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes including 
         primitive tribes
-->   S&T inputs directed at traditional artisans for skill development and rural industrialization
-->   Short-duration field investigation projects by S&T Field Groups to formulate need-based action plans and adaptive 
         research programmes
-->   Co- ordinated Programmes to assess and demonstrate replicability of, and work out dissemination strategies for, models/ 
         technologies evolved through the above

Major Replicable Models & Technology Packages
Over the years, SSD/DST has achieved significant breakthrough in developing and demonstrating replicable technology packages and field models/ methodologies in several sectors.

Based on the success of individual Projects, Co-ordinated Programmes for assessment and feedback under different socio-economic and agro-climatic conditions have generated proven and sustainable Models/ Packages in several sectors.

-->   Leather
-->   Tanning: Vegetable Tanning, Wet- Blue Chrome
-->   Product- making (footwear/ non-footwear)
-->   Carcass Utilisation
-->   Red-Clay Pottery: medium temperature glazed
-->   Fruit / Vegetable processing and Preservation
-->   Sericulture: cultivation, rearing, reeling and weaving
-->   Fish Aggregation Devices (FAD/ARs) for coastal fisher folk
-->   Fresh- water Fish Hatcheries
-->   Computer/ Electronics assembly, repairs and operation in Rural Areas
-->   Land & Water Management
-->   Construction Technologies: MCR Tiles, SMBs, Fibre- boards etc.
-->   Black smithy
-->   Medicinal Plants: cultivation, processing of high- value plants

Other Replicable Technologies
-->   Nursery Techniques
-->   Rock- Bee Honey
-->   Clay Emitter Irrigation Systems
-->   Bio- fertilizers eg. Azolla, BGA
-->   Rice Transplanter
-->   Rabbit – rearing
1. Rabbit Skins/ Fur Processing
2. Angora for Wool
-->   Dehydration of Flowers and Foliage

-->   Driers
1. For Coconut Gratings
2. For paper
3. Biomass-based Driers for Horticultural produce
4. Solar Driers
-->   Utilisation of waste Bio- mass
-->   Neem Oil Purification
-->   Palm Jaggery powder
-->   Extraction of Natural Dyes
-->   Pedal Operated Rice Mill
-->   Solar Energy Systems for Rural Areas
-->   Gasifiers
1. Biomass
2. Kitchen waste
-->   Plata type Water Pump
-->   Ice-based Cold Storage for fruits/veg./flowers
-->   Zero- Energy Cool Store for Fruits/ Veg
-->   Carpet Making Machine
-->   Modified Filature for Silk Spinning
-->   Wool Carding Machines
-->   Fibre- based Composites
-->   Low cost diagnostic Medicinal Kits for Urinary Tract Infections
-->   Removal of Hardness from Water
-->   Recycling of
1. Plastic Polybags
2. Spill Water
3. Paper
-->   Bio-digestion of pulp/ fibres for paper
-->   New/ Improved Cycle Rickshaw
-->   Bicycle Trailers (Multi-purpose)

Some Recent Initiatives

Among the numerous Programmes currently on- going, some major recent initiatives are:

-->   Rural Technology Parks (RTP)
-->   Women’s Technology Parks (WTP)
1. Mountain Regions – Dehradun (Uttaranchal)
2. West Coast Region – Manipal (Karnataka)
3. Arid Region – Barmer (Rajsthan)
-->   Integrated Village Development Programme in 50 Villages/Districts throughout India
-->   Technology Intervention for Mountain Eco-Systems (TIME)
-->   North- East Iniatives
1. location- specific technologies/strategies
2. Focus on Horticulture, Floriculture, Spices/Condiments, Rural Industries/Crafts, Energy
-->   Andaman & Nicobar Islands Initiatives
1. Location- specific technologies/interventions
2. Special programmes for Jarava & Onge primitive tribes

Institutional Linkages

NGO “ Core Groups”

DST’s Science & Society Division has a unique Programme to support selected S&T Voluntary Agencies with a proven track record of innovative work in development and application of technologies for rural areas. “ Core Support” to these Groups is a long-term programme support for core S&T manpower, institutional running cost and open-ended R7D work. Core Groups may, and should, additionally avail of DST support for specific time- bound Projects. SSD/DST’s Core Support Programme to Vol Ags has given a major impetus to need-based “bottom-up” technology generation for benefits of Weaker Sections.

S&T Institutions

Fruitful collaborative linkages have been built with numerous S&T Institutions and National Laboratories for technology development/ adaptation, technical back-up support to field programmes/ groups and catalyzing further research. Effort at DST/SSD has been to associate concerned National Labs or other specialist S&T Institutions with each major programme so as to build-in expert input, utilize national S&T infrastructure and link it up with grassroots S&T interventions/initiatives.

For further information or other details contact:

The Head
Science & Society Division
Department of Science & Technology
Technology Bhavan
New Mehrauli Road, NEW DELHI – 110016 (INDIA)
Phones: (011)-(11) – 6567373; 6519530. FAX: (91)-(11)-6519530
E-mail: johnyssd@alpha.nic.in