J-K chief secy launches 3 online services of science and technology dept

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], April 7 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta on Friday launched three online services offered by the Department of Science and Technology of the state, said an official statement.

Saurabh Bhagat, Commissioner Secretary, Science and Technology was also present for the launch. The services include Sponsored Research & Extension Programme, Support for Innovation & Patent Filing scheme, and Science Talent Promotion Scholarship Scheme.

"All these schemes are offered by the J&K Science, Technology and Innovation Council (JKST&IC) and are primarily meant for inculcating the scientific culture among students/scientific community in particular and common masses in general", reads the statement.

Chief Secretary stressed the need for scientific solutions to various issues of local importance such as waste management, biomass energy, plastic to fuel stressing need to run a waste to wealth campaign.

He complimented the Science & Technology Department for establishing Industrial Biotechnology Parks, Sub Regional Science Centre, and instructed for establishment of various Centre of Excellences across UT of Jammu & Kashmir.

He enjoined upon the Department to collaborate with other departments for innovative solutions to problems faced by people in their day to day life. "Science and Technology should contribute to ease of living. Our focus should be on innovations for larger public interest so that the knowledge actually gets transferred from lab to land", he said.

The chief secretary also took stock of various schemes of Science & Technology Department including Jammu Smart City Mission, Jammu Solar City Mission, PM-KUSUM, Rooftop Solar Power Plant Mission and focused on the need to increase the demand of solar energy within the UT of J&K.

On the occasion it was given out that the Sponsored Research & Extension Programme envisages that the research proposals/scientific surveys should be invited through open advertisement from the Scientists/professors/ academicians/scholars/research etc, get it evaluated by the Scientific Advisory Committee(SAC)/ Technical Committee (TC) constituted by the Government for furnishing of recommendations and then should be provided with the financial support for carrying out the research on the local specific issues. Later the outcome/recommendation of these research projects/surveys are forwarded to the line departments for implementation.

Regarding the Support for Innovation & Patent Filing scheme it was said that the JKST&IC provides financial support (seed money) to the innovator/ institution working on novel ideas for development of prototype. The scheme is aimed at the promotion of Innovations and encouragement of local youth for their pursuits in different fields of Science & Technology.

As far as Science Talent Promotion Scholarship Scheme is concerned it aims at encouraging the students to pursue Science subjects in their higher classes. The scholarships are provided to the meritorious students at 10+2 up to PG levels for a period of 2, 3 and 2 years respectively at each level.

The three online schemes/services detailed above being implemented in the online mode now are also RAS integrated therefore open for public feedback.

Post launch of these services, the Department of Science & Technology will be e-Governance Complaint as envisaged under the 'Digital J&K' mission of the UT.

Giving details about the performance of the Department it was said that a total of 2169 works have been completed under different schemes during 2022-23 out of 2400 works taken in hand. Moreover, the ST & IC has registered an expenditure of nearly 99.8% of its funds released for the previous financial year.

Commissioner Secretary IT and other senior officers of IT department were also present during the inaugural function.

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