New Delhi, Dec 1 (IANS): As many as 34 proposals have been recommended for financial support to develop socially useful and commercially relevant knowledge, process and technologies in identified thrust areas by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
The government had initiated an Inter-Ministerial funding programme 'Scientific Utilisation Through Research Augmentation-Prime Products from Indigenous Cows' (SUTRA-PIC) in 2020 with the objective of providing scientific basis for traditional and ancient knowledge of the country with respect to indigenous cows and their products through scientific research and validation.
Five thematic areas have been taken up for Research & Development pertaining to Prime Products from Indigenous Cows, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh told in reply to a set of questions by MPs Raksha Nikhil Khadse and Manoj Kishorbhai Kotak.
"A call for proposals was put up by DST for the SUTRA-PIC programme. Out of 337 proposals received, 34 proposals were recommended for financial support to develop socially useful and commercially relevant knowledge, process and technologies in identified thrust areas such as medicine and health, agriculture, food and nutrition and utility items," the Minister said.
The thematic areas identified are: Scientific Research on Uniqueness of Indigenous Cows; Scientific Research on Prime Products from Indigenous Cows for Medicine and Health; Scientific Research on Prime Products from Indigenous Cows for Agricultural Applications; Scientific Research on Prime Products from Indigenous Cows for Food and Nutrition and Scientific Research on Prime products from indigenous Cows-based Utility Items.
Each of the thematic areas above is adopted by a Ministry/Department as a lead agency for funding.
The MPs had asked whether the government has any proposal to emphasis on Research & Development on Cow Science, the Indian old wisdom with new Technology for Aatmanirbhar Bharat and to explore potentials of Indian Cow & Panchagavya to bring forth the science of Cows.