Benefits of Research

Government has taken numerous steps to ensure that the benefits of research by various scientific institutions and universities in the country reach to common man and also for commercialization of developed technology:

• The Department of Science & Technology (DST) has launched many programs for well-being of the common man across the country, particularly those living in rural areas and the under-privileged sections of society such as Long Term Core Support through Technological Advancement for Rural Areas (TARA) scheme, Technological Intervention for Addressing Societal Needs (TIASN), Technology Application for Livelihood Improvement of Scheduled Caste Population (TALIM-SC), Technology Intervention Programme for Disabled & Elderly Population, People & Protected Programme for Tribal Communities living around Protected Areas to address livelihoods and conservation issues. Besides, Women Technology Parks are created, wherein academia and field based S&T agencies/organizations identify local challenges and address these through appropriate S&T interventions. Department has also established Technology Business Incubators in 113 scientific institutions and universities to help commercialization of Technologies and innovations. DST is also implementing bilateral collaborative industrial R&D programs with several countries,which have participation from industry, enterprises, academia and R&D institutions from both sides, to develop prototypes, products or processes with commercial potential.

• In addition, the Ministry, through the Technology Development Board (TDB), Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) and other extramural programmes also supports commercialization of developed technology.

• The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) operated project activities under ‘CSIR-800’ program areaiming at bringing in desired S&T interventions for improving quality of life of common people at base of the economic pyramid. The efforts include, a food processing unit set up at CSIR-Centre for High Altitude Biology (CSIR-CeHAB) in the remote tribal region of Lahaul and Spiti;Empowering the selected Women self-help groups in Manipur;Training and skill development techniques to terracotta pottery rural artisans across various states; Arsenic removal technology and de-floridation plants & variety of other water purification plants for community/ domestic use in Rural Areas for common people; Popularizing mushroom technology through transfer and training to benefit rural women in North East Sates; Medicinal & Aromatic plants (MAPs) and other related technologies for rural development in Jammu & Kashmir region and Western Himalayan region. CSIR has also started Samadhan Kendra, a Rural Information Technology centre to provide details about the agriculture.

• Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) also supports R & D programs with a provision for financial assistance of up to 50% of the project cost for the projects that involve partnership with industry / civil society. Various renewable energy systems supported by them such as biogas plants, solar lights, solar dryers, etc. have reached the remotest part of the country and are being used by people for their energy needs.

Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), DST through Patent Facilitating Cell (PFC) has been regularly organizing training programmes for scientists and industrial sectors in collaboration with Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), Manesar, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Technology Development Board (TDB), New Delhi. PFC-TIFAC is also implementing Women Scientist Scheme (WOS-C popularly known as KIRAN-IPR)revamped by Government in 2015. PFC-TIFAC is also conducting one day workshops with special focus on patents.

The Government has taken several steps for protection of Intellectual property and announced the National IPR Policy on May 12, 2016 (Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce and Industry as the Nodal Ministry). The policy in total has 203 action points. Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) has been created to implement the objectives of the National IPR Policy. New Commercial Courts have been created and also in order to strengthen the enforcement mechanism, various training programs on enforcement of IPRs for police officials have been organized.India’s first ever Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) has been established in association with World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in PSCST, Punjab to take forward commercialization of IPs.

Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), DST is working to improve IPR output of national research laboratories, universities, technology institutions and other researchers by encouraging and facilitating the acquisition of Intellectual Property Rights by them.

CSIR adopted a centralized operation for its IPR protection with its Innovation Protection Unit (IPU). IPU protects intellectual property rights at national and international level for the results of important R&D carried out in the various CSIR Laboratories and schemes.

This information was given by Minister of State for Ministry of Science & Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences Shri Y.S.Chowdary in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.