AHMEDABAD: To strengthen the State-Centre coordination and collaboration mechanism in building a robust STI ecosystem and promote innovation and entrepreneurship, a Centre-State Science Conclave was inaugurated at Science City Ahmedabad, Gujarat on September 10th and 11th 2022 by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
Science and Technology (S&T) department Ministers of States and Union Territories, Secretaries of S&T Departments of States and UTs, Senior Officers from GoI, representatives of over 150 start-ups, a large number of innovators, and aspiring entrepreneurs participated in the conclave.
The event was held to deliberate upon plans and strategies for fostering state-centre S&T synergy and coordination and focusing on critical issues of state and national interests for the socio-economic development of the nation as a whole.
The event began with an inaugural session presided over by Prime Minister followed by a leadership session which was moderated by Dr Jitendra Singh, Union MoS Science, and Technology.
After this session, 8 plenary sessions in different thematic areas were held in which Saurabh Bhagat, Commissioner Secretary, Science, and Technology Department, J&K government gave a PowerPoint presentation on the working of the Department of Science and Technology, J&K Government, and also about the functioning of J&K Science Technology and Innovation Council (JKSTIC). He disclosed that JKSTIC in collaboration with DBT, Govt. Of India and CSIR are establishing two industrial biotechnology parks in UT of J&K one at Handwara Kashmir and another at Ghati, Kuthua, Jammu.
Bhagat highlighted that JKSTIC in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, GoI, is establishing sub-regional science centre in the heart of the city Srinagar besides other routine works/programs under Science Popularization, Sponsored Research and Extension Schemes. He added that there are 123 R&D projects sponsored by JKSTIC from last year.
The Commissioner Secretary said that the research findings/outcomes of the research undertakings would be implemented for solving the problems and recommendations shall also be put forth before the relevant organizations for taking them to the ground implementation. He added that JKSTIC has also launched the Innovation Challenge program to promote innovation and encourage novel ideas.
Speaking on other initiatives, Bhagat said that JKSTIC has identified 150 innovators and start-ups across UT and is planning to organize an innovators/start-ups meeting with investors and industrialists across the country. He added that the meet is intended to provide access and platform to the budding innovators and start-ups for investment, collaborations, connections and networking needed to launch and convert their ideas and initiatives into scalable business models and business organizations.
The Commissioner Secretary remarked that the meeting can be a game changer for the innovators and start-ups to gain exposure and get connected to the industry and investment agencies, venture capitalists across the country.
Among others, Dr Nasir Shah, Addl. Director JKSTIC; Sanjay Kharoo, Joint Director; Bilal Ahmad, Joint Director besides eight start-up innovators led by Sheikh Inayat Ullah, Innovator, CEO Startup Move Beyond attended the conclave from J&K.
