Ministry of Science & Technology
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: IMPACT OF SEED INITIATIVES
Posted On:
31 JUL 2025 5:05PM by PIB Delhi
The Department of Science and Technology (DST), through its Science for Equity, Empowerment & Development (SEED) Division, supports grant-in-aid projects to provide science & technology (S&T)-based, action-oriented and location-specific solutions aimed at the socio-economic development of disadvantaged communities—primarily Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Women, Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), Divyangjan and the elderly. Through its various pan-India schemes and programmes, such as the Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP), Tribal Sub Plan (TSP), Strengthening, Upscaling & Nurturing Innovations for Livelihood (SUNIL), Science & Technology for Women (STW), and Technology Interventions for Disabled and Elderly (TIDE), around 214 projects have been supported during the current year and the last three years (i.e., 2021–22 to 2023–24) to improve the quality of life and livelihood of these communities. The details of projects supported to benefit various disadvantaged communities, scope identified and nature of benefits realised by each community is as under-
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Type of community
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F.Y.
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No. of projects supported
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Scope and areas of projects supported
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Nature of benefits to community
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SC
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2025-2026
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33
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Agriculture & allied sectors such as Sericulture, Fishery, backyard poultry, polymer composite mulch, post-harvest processing, horticulture, value added products with small skin (fish); Health & nutrition, Occupational hazards; Clean energy; Handicraft etc.
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Livelihood Diversification; Increased household income; Enhanced agriculture productivity; Greater employment opportunities; Environmental impact; Community empowerment; Energy access & services; Skill development & capacity building; Access to financial institutions etc.
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2024-2025
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02
|
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2023-2024
|
18
|
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2022-2023
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14
|
|
ST (Tribes)
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2025-2026
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26
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Piggery, bamboo craft, NTFP value addition, IoT in agriculture, Apiary, fish dryer, digital literacy, health awareness, malnutrition, Oil extraction, RWH, handicraft, Integrated farming model, Ethnic food items, Sericulture, Composting and Kitchen Gardening, Tuber crop, pottery, goatery, jaggery, herbal plant cultivation, post-harvest interventions
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Access to Clean Energy; Access to Improved Nutrition; Access to financial institutions; Livelihood Diversification; Increased household income; Enhanced agriculture productivity; Environmental impact; Community empowerment; Skill development & capacity building etc.
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2024-2025
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13
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2023-2024
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25
|
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2022-2023
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12
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PVTG
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2025-2026
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07
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Inland fisheries, Agriculture, composite brick manufacturing
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Skill development & capacity building; Increased agriculture productivity; Enhanced employment opportunities etc.
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2024-2025
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03
|
|
EWS
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2024-2025
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01
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Food and agriculture; Renewable energy; Reducing Health and occupational hazards; Land Resources utilisation; Poultry farming; Crafts & Rural Industries such as bamboo crafts, pottery, handloom and handicrafts, textile-based interventions etc.
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Access to clean and sustainable energy; Environmental improvement; Climate control and resilience building; Improved livelihood systems; Income generation by use of value-added and by-products; Enhanced market access; Skill development & capacity building; Enhanced productivity etc.
|
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2023-2024
|
07
|
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Women
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2024-2025
|
19
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Health issues related to life cycle of women; Nutrition & sanitation; Organic farming; Poultry; Processing of value-added food products; Agriculture & allied sectors such as Horticulture, Medicinal aromatic plants, S&T based drudgery reduction tools; Textile; Advanced technologies like AI, 3D Printing, etc.
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Reduced drudgery; Improved access to Health care facilities; Diversified livelihood options; Adopted customized products; Improved access to technology centres; Improved quality of life & empowerment; Skill development & capacity building of women etc.
|
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2023-2024
|
02
|
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Disabled & Elderly
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2025-2026
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18
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Geriatric/Elderly sector and the disability areas such as Visual, Locomotor, Intellectual, Hearing, Speech, Multiple etc.
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Autonomy and Improvement in the quality of life to PwDs and Elderly in different built environments, transport systems, Information and Communication Technology. Improved mobility & Self-care etc.
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2024-2025
|
10
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2023-2024
|
01
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2022-2023
|
03
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The projects supported under various schemes & programme of SEED division are monitored regularly through mechanisms such as Annual Performance Review, Group Monitoring Workshops and field visits, to assess the qualitative and quantitative progress and outcomes through S&T interventions across targeted geographical regions. The SEED division follows a robust monitoring and evaluation strategy to integrate real-time feedback from diverse stakeholders, including Expert Committees, Implementing Institutions, Principal Investigators and communities through field-visit monitoring, brainstorming sessions, focused group discussions, digital platforms and community level interactions etc.
These inputs facilitate mid-course corrections and lead to measurable improvements in project outcomes such as Customization and localization of technologies based on regional needs; Re-design and replication of successful interventions; Modified technology delivery models and scaling strategies; Improved beneficiary targeting and selection processes; Enhanced training and skill development modules tailored to community capabilities; Strengthened outreach planning and greater social impact etc.
This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
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NKR/PSM
(Release ID: 2150812)