The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India organised a National Exhibition-cum-Technical Event under Mission सह-SANKALP (Science and Advanced Networks for Knowledge-driven Action for Livelihood Promotion) at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi on 18^th March 2026.

The event was inaugurated by PSA Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood and convened senior officials from Central Ministries including Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Micro, Medium and Small Enterprises (MSME), Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), and academic institutions, financial and development organisations, industry stakeholders, and grassroots practitioners to deliberate on leveraging science, technology, and innovation for strengthening sustainable livelihood systems in India.

In his keynote address, Prof. Sood underscored the need to bridge the gap between technological innovation and grassroots application. Highlighting India’s strong science and innovation ecosystem, he emphasised that the key challenge lies in ensuring that innovations are accessible, adoptable, and impactful at the community level. He also noted the role of initiatives such as Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG), RuTAG Smart Village Centres (RSVC), and the Manthan platform in fostering demand-driven innovation and collaborative problem-solving.

The program witnessed unveiling of the Mission सह-SANKALP logo and the release of the Resource Book on Science and Technology Interventions for Sustainable Livelihood Systems. The Resource Book serves as a national repository of over 350 ready-to-deploy technologies developed across ministries and scientific institutions. Designed as a practical tool for implementation, it enables State governments, implementing agencies, and development partners to identify, adopt, and scale context-relevant solutions across livelihood programmes. This was followed by the inauguration of the technology exhibition by the PSA, Prof. Sood.

In a significant step towards enhancing accessibility and outreach, an online repository titled “Technology for Livelihoods: Bridging Innovation and Impact” has also been activated, providing open access to curated technology solutions and enabling users to explore adoption pathways digitally. The repository can be accessed at: https://psa.gov.in/livelihood-analytics

The event also featured a special session with Secretaries from key participating ministries and departments, who shared perspectives on integrating Science and Technology (S&T) into India’s livelihood architecture. Discussions highlighted the importance of convergence across flagship programmes, institutional mechanisms for scaling innovations, and cross-sectoral collaboration.

Three panel discussions with participation of diverse stakeholder group highlighted the work being done at grassroot levels, the gaps that exist, and the need to collaborate to improve the livelihood of people through S&T interventions.

Panel discussions explored critical dimensions of livelihood transformation. The first focused on designing science and technology interventions that strengthen resilience, sustainability, and inclusion. The second examined pathways for scaling innovations from pilots to nationwide programmes, emphasising institutional frameworks, financing, and implementation systems. The third highlighted the role of partnerships, innovation platforms, and community participation in ensuring long-term sustainability of livelihood systems.

 

The event also featured an exhibition of 100+ technologies for strengthening the livelihood, showcasing a range of technologies across farm and non-farm sectors, enabling direct engagement between innovators, implementing agencies, and development partners, and facilitating knowledge exchange and potential collaborations.

In her concluding remarks, Dr (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary at the office of PSA noted that the discussions throughout the day reinforced the importance of convergence, locally relevant and affordable technologies, institutional partnerships, and community-centric approaches. She highlighted that the mission सह-SANKALP aims to build a collaborative ecosystem that connects science with society, enabling technology-driven, inclusive, and sustainable livelihood transformation at scale. She called for sustained collaboration among stakeholders to translate scientific innovations into practical, scalable solutions that can enhance livelihood outcomes across the country.

Mission सह-SANKALP is a flagship initiative of the Office of the PSA, recommended by the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC). It adopts a convergence-driven, demand-oriented approach to develop scalable, locally relevant solutions for sustainable livelihoods. The Mission focuses on bridging the gap between innovation and adoption by enabling structured technology deployment, strengthening institutional coordination, and connecting innovators with end users.

***********

MJPS/ST

(Release ID: 2241958) Visitor Counter : 340