Pr. Scientific Advisor to GoI chairs high-level meet at SKUAST-K

Srinagar : Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the Government of India and Chairperson of the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology & Innovation Advisory Council, Prof Ajay Kumar Sood, Thursday chaired a high-level review meeting of Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG) 2.0 at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar campus.
The two-day Annual Review Meeting of RuTAG 2.0 organised by the Office of Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India and SKUAST-K’s Division of Food Science and Technology to assess the progress of the projects carried out by IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Guwahati, IIT Roorkee, IIT Delhi, ICAR NAARM and SKUAST-K. SKUAST-K is the only university in the country besides IITs and NARM that has the distinction of having a RuTAG Project.
RuTAG 2.0 is a national initiative aimed at addressing technology gaps in rural areas through innovative, affordable, and scalable solutions. By leveraging the expertise of premier academic and research institutions, RuTAG strives to improve the quality of life in rural India while promoting sustainability and inclusivity.
The inaugural function of the review meeting was also attended by the Scientific Secretary to the Government of India, Dr Parvinder Miani; Vice Chancellor SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai; Commissioner Secretary, Science and Technology, Government of J&K, Saurabh Bhagat; Staff and Scientists of Office of Principal Scientific Advisor; all the principal investigators of RuTAG 2.0 projects from IITs and NAARM; officers of SKUAST-K; Directors of the Development Departments of J&K Government; and various industry representatives from Kashmir. Director Research, SKUAST-K, Prof Haroon R Naik presented the welcome address.
Prof Ajay Kumar Sood, in his address, highlighted the critical role of RuTAG in bridging the technological divide in rural India. He stressed that the technologies which provide solutions to the rural problems does not mean that their standard is lower. He said the time for ‘Jugad’ is over. These technologies developed under RuTAG 2.0 must adhere to all the quality standards and must be internationally competitive and sustainable, which would not only solve the Indian problems but also global ones besides being affordable.
PSA said RuTAG 2.0 must empower rural youth by providing grassroots innovations so that they don’t have to move to cities for livelihood.
While praising SKUAST-K for its innovations, Prof Sood remarked that the nation has much to learn from the way SKUAST-K is fostering innovation, promoting entrepreneurship, and empowering the youth.
It is for the first time that the office of PSA has moved out of Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, to choose SKUAST-K as venue for the RuTAG annual meeting as we place this university in the league of IITs, he said, adding, this proves SKUAST-K’s technology prowess and its contribution in the region.
Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Vice Chancellor of SKUAST-Kashmir, provided an insightful overview of the university’s achievements and its vision for advancing rural technologies. Prof Ganai emphasized the importance of adapting and innovating technologies to meet the unique needs of rural communities. He highlighted how RuTAG plays a pivotal role in bridging the gap between traditional knowledge and modern scientific advancements. Highlighting the spirit of teamwork, he praised the synergy between academic institutions, research organizations, and community partners in addressing rural challenges. He called for greater interdisciplinary collaborations to achieve impactful outcomes.
Dr Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary in the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, in her address, said RuTAG is a flagship project of Office of PSA and was conceptualised with the aim how the rural community can be advanced through small S&P interventions, frugal innovations by grassroots innovators in an inclusive way. Mandate has been given to seven premier institutions of the country including SKUAST-K to innovate and scale technologies that would help our rural community in enhancing their livelihoods, she remarked. At the event, the unveiling of the RuTAG 2.0 logo, the release of a book, Technologies Developed by SKUAST-K’s Division of Food Technologies and a success story also took place.