The Union Ministry of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences has funded six projects estimated at ₹8.96 crore in Thanjavur district.
Disclosing this information while responding to a question raised by the Thanjavur MP S. Murasoli in Parliament on November 27, Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences (Independent Charge), said that the amount was released through the Department of Biotechnology for the projects taken up in areas such as biotechnology information system network, environment biotechnology, livestock, animal and plant biotechnology and public health, food and nutrition by the institutes in Thanjavur district.
Additionally, the department had sanctioned ₹249.62 lakh to two colleges Bon Secours College for Women and A. Veeriya Vandayar Memorial Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous) in Thanjavur district under its Star College Scheme.
Mr. Murasoli also requested details about the National Level Programmes implemented by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under its State Science and Technology Programme (SSTP) and the amount of funds allocated.
The Minister pointed out that under the SSTP, budgetary support was extended for catalysing the science, technology, and innovation ecosystem through systemic interventions under the six components such as research and development, institutional and human capacity building, innovation, technology deployment for socio-economic development, science communication and popularisation and State policies.
The programme extends support to patent information centres (PIC) established at the State Science and Technology Councils, including at Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology (TNSCST), to facilitate activities related to intellectual property rights (IPR), he said.
Under SSTP, ₹3.46 crore had been sanctioned to TNSCST in the last two financial years and up to November 21 of the current financial year.
Further, the Department of Science and Technology had sanctioned ₹6.58 crore to SASTRA University, Thanjavur, and ₹30.17 lakh to Government College for Women, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, for strengthening research and development infrastructure.
Additionally, ₹86.95 lakh had been provided to the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Thanjavur (NIFTEM-T), for research and development focused on millets.
About ₹20 lakh had been sanctioned to TNSCST for celebrating National Mathematics Day and National Science Day in schools and colleges across Tamil Nadu, including Thanjavur district, this financial year, the Union Minister added.
Published – November 29, 2024 05:11 pm IST
