Annual Report 2001 - 2002

Administration And Finance

Department of Science and Technology is the nodal Department of the Ministry of Science and Technology. The organisational structure of the Department has evolved over the years to respond quickly to the issues relating to the promotion and development of Science and Technology in the Country. It has three Subordinate Departments viz. India Meteorological Department (IMD), National Atlas and Thematic Mapping Organisation (NATMO) and Survey of India (SOI) under its Administrative Control. In addition to it, the Department also supports 16 autonomous research institutions/ other bodies which are working in diverse areas for the promotion of Science and Technology.

The Administration and Finance Divisions of the Department look after the support facilities for the Subordinate Departments and Autonomous bodies including the personnel and financial administration. The activities undertaken by the different wings during the period under report are given as under :

Recruitment Cell

The Recruitment Cell is entrusted to perform the following functions :

(a) Recruitment to the Group 'A' Scientific and Technical posts.
(b) Assessment of eligible departmental scientists for in-situ promotion under Flexible Complementing Scheme (FCS).
(c) Consideration of proposals regarding recognition of institutions / organizations under different Ministries / Departments as Scientific and Technical and introduction of FCS therein.

During the year, the Recruitment Cell has made assessment of eligible departmental scientists for in-situ promotion under FCS as on January 1, 2001 and July 1, 2001. Besides, the proposals of the Ministry of Textiles for the recognition of Central Silk Board as S&T Organisation and introduction of FCS therein, that of the Ministry of Environment & Forests for the recognition of Central Pollution Control Board as S&T Organisation and introduction of FCS therein, that of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry for the recognition of Coffee Board, Tea Board, Rubber Board and Spices Board as S&T Organisations and introduction of FCS therein, and that of Cabinet Secretariat for the recognition of Aviation Research Centre (Imagery Analysis and Technical Caders ) as S&T Organisation and introduction of FCS therein were considered and the recommendations of the Department were conveyed to the respective Ministries.

The report of the Committee constituted by the Department of Science & Technology to look into the career prospects of Group B & C S&T Staff in various scientific Ministries/ Departments was examined and has been sent to the DOP&T for their consideration.

Parliament Unit

The Parliament Unit is assigned the responsibility to look after the entire Parliamentary Work of the Department. It also ensures that the Parliamentary Work pertaining to the Ministry of Science and Technology is accomplished as per the prescribed schedule and procedures. The Unit maintains liaison with the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Secretariats of Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha, other Ministries/Departments (including Scientific Departments )with a view to fully discharge the Parliamentary obligations of the Ministry of Science and Technology. The Unit also Coordinates the visits of the Members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee etc. to various scientific institutions under the administrative control of the Department.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests met on March 30, 2001 to discuss the Demands for Grants for the year 2001-2002 of the Department and submitted its recommendations in its 89th report presented to the Parliament on April 20, 2001. The action taken report on the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee was also submitted to the Secretariat of the Committee as per schedule.

Welfare Cell

The Welfare Cell of the Department looks after the welfare of DST employees. DST/DSIR Benevolent Fund has been established in the Department and a large number of employees have become members. A senior level officer of the rank of Deputy Secretary has also been designated as Welfare Officer of the Department. Financial assistance is provided from the fund to the members and their families to relieve distress from time to time. A crèche with requisite facilities is also being run within the Department's premises for the benefit of its employees. This year DST supported a General Health Check-up & Education Awareness Programme of its employees during February 19-22,2002. The Heart Care Foundation of India and K.L. Chopra Body & Mind Institute organized the programme.

The Sports and Recreation Club promotes various indoor and outdoor activities. The Club regularly takes part in inter-ministerial tournaments and organizes cultural programmes and excursion tours.

Staff Position

DST has a total of 232 Group A and Group B officers on its rolls. A detailed breakup is given below:-

The Department has a total number of 403 non-gazetted staff on its rolls. The detailed Groupwise break-up is given below :

Internal Work Study Unit

During the year, Internal Work Study Unit (IWSU) engaged itself in ensuring compliance of the provisions of Manual of Office Procedure in the Secretariat of the Department and subordinate offices with a view to systematise and improve their functioning. O&M Inspection was also conducted in the Department, subordinate offices and Aided Institutes as per schedule in the revised questionnaire prescribed by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances.

Steps were taken to implement the Public Records Act and Public Record Rules in the Office as well as to appoint Record Officers in light of the recommendations of the Committee of Secretaries on Records Management of the Government of India.

Suggestions were invited from Members of Public as well as from the Government Employees under the Award Scheme formulated by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances.

It is proposed to undertake review of the Induction material keeping in view the changes in the Department.

Work Measurement Study of the Department is in advanced stage. It is likely to be completed this year.

Work Measurement Report of most of the RMCs and MCs of India Meteorological Department have been finalised and are under examination / review. Work measurement Studies of remaining Offices of IMD viz. RMC, Delhi; RMC, Calcutta; RMC, Guwahati and CSO, Shillong are likely to be completed by March 2002.

Review of the level of disposal and channel of submission of cases in DST has been completed.

The guidelines given in the meeting of the O&M Officers organised by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances to strengthen O&M aspects in the Government of India Offices have been followed scrupulously.

Citizen's Charter of the Department has been revised as reproduced below :

Citizen's Charter

Values

The Department is committed to promote science and technology in the country by creating excellent infrastructure for R&D and encouraging scientists and technologists to pursue world class research to respond to the challenges of the society and the nation.

Standards

• The Department functions on an officer oriented mode adopting a user-friendly approach to meet the expectations of the community at large and scientist and technologists in particular.
  
• Adopt well defined procedures announcing estimated processing time. The decisions are taken based on the advice of expert committees, consisting of outside experts.
  
• The programmes and activities have a wide reach.
  
• Attends to grievances promptly through a grievance redressal machinery set up in the Department.
  
• Highly transparent in all its activities , efficient and courteous all the time and ensure merit as the criteria for all decision making.
  
• The finest mechanism for review and monitoring of their activities at frequent intervals.
  
• To attend to all VIP references within 15 days.

Commitments

• Increase the S&T infrastructure to meet the challenging demands in basic research, technology development , scientific services and societal development.
  
• Create suitable conditions for attracting young talent to take to research and development.
  
• Develop world-class centres of excellence in R&D in frontier areas of science and technology.
  
• Develop appropriate mechanisms for reducing the time lag between an invention and its commercialization.
  
• Gear S&T towards meeting the basic needs of the population (food, housing, employment and education) and modernizing our infrastructure in the service sectors.
  
• Exploit the crucial role the material technology play in the national development -in areas ranging all the way from housing for the poor to the chips for the new computers.
  
• Harness the developments in information technology for the national efforts in all areas ranging from health to technology assessment and forecasting.
  
• Develop methods for forecasting and mitigation of natural disasters such as cyclone, earthquakes etc.
  
• Ensure that industrial growth goes hand in hand with greater technological capability.
  
• Attract industrial investment in research and development to cope with the increased competition in a global market.
  
• Popularize S&T and nurture a scientific temper among our citizens.

Enquires

Any enquiry/complaint relating to R&D and other technical matters may be made to the concerned divisional head. All efforts will be made to respond/settle the complaints expeditiously.

Promotion of Official Language

For implementing the Official Language Policy of the Government, there is a Hindi Section in the Department. During the year, concerted efforts were made for implementing the provisions of Official Language Act, Rules made there under and orders/instructions issued by the Department of Official Language from time to time regarding progressive use of Hindi in the Official Work of the Government of India. During the year, the following work was carried out.

• All general orders, Annual Report, Performance Budget, Cabinet Notes, Agreements etc. continued to be issued bilingually i.e. both in Hindi and English.
  
• Letters received in Hindi were invariably replied in Hindi.
  
• Incentive Scheme for original noting/drafting in official work in Hindi is in vogue in this Department.
  
• For encouraging the officers of DST to give more and more dictation in Hindi, an incentive scheme is also in vogue.
  
• The period September 14, 2001 to September 28,2001 was celebrated as Hindi Pakhwara. With a view to create greater awareness of Official Language policy during this period, special competitions viz. Translation, noting/drafting, Hindi typing etc. were organised. All the competitions received enthusiastic response and the Hon'ble Minister of State for Science & Technology awarded prizes to all the winners.
  
• Two meetings of the Official Language Implementation Committee were held during the year and follow-up-action was taken on the recommendations made in these meetings.
  
• The Committee of Parliament on Official Language inspected the department on November 1, 2001. Necessary steps are being taken to implement the guidelines provided by the Committee.
  
• During the year, 12 employees were nominated for training in Hindi Prabodh, Praveen and Pragya and 15 employees were nominated for training in Hindi Typing and Shorthand.
  
• 15th meeting of the Joint Hindi Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Science and Technology and Department of Ocean Development was held on August 25, 2001 and February 17, 2002 under the Chairmanship of Hon'ble Minister of State for Science and Technology. Necessary steps are being taken to implement the guidelines provided by the Committee.
  
• With a view to encourage original writing in Hindi, the Department of Science and Technology introduced "Dr. Meghnad Saha Award Scheme" in 1987. Under the Scheme, action of awarding prizes to the writers of original books in Hindi on the Scientific Subjects is in progress.
  
• With a view to promote the use of Hindi in the day-to-day official work, two workshops were organised during the year.
  
• The inspection of subordinate offices viz. Survey of India, Jaipur; Survey of India, Chandigarh; Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow; IMD, Goa (Met. Centre, Goa); NATMO, Kolkota; SN Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata; Bose Institute, Kolkata; Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore; Survey of India, Bangalore; IMD, New Delhi; and Vigyan Prasar, New Delhi was carried out.

Library

The mandate of DST Library is to provide Library, Documentation and Information Services to the Scientists/Technologists and Staff Members of DST/DSIR/TIFAC. To fulfill this mandate, the Library undertook following activities during the period under review:

Collection Development: The Library enriched its collection by acquiring, processing and making available to its users 589-books/ monographs on different subjects. In addition to this, 202 books received on Gratis were also processed and made available to the users.

Library continued subscribing to 110 scientific/ technical journals. Also, another 100 journal titles were received on Gratis.

Updation of Online Catalogue: The online catalogue of books available in the Library was updated regularly. The total number of machine-readable records is over 13,500 now.

Documentation/ Information Services: The Library continued meeting the day-to-day information requirements of the users. Further, the Documentation / Information Services such as Current Awareness Service, Newspaper Clippings Service, Photocopying Service, Literature Searches to meet the specific needs of the users were also provided. Internet based information service was also provided by searching the appropriate information available on the Internet and making it available after proper selection and editing.

To make full use of information/ communication technologies in the provision of Library/ Information Services, DST Library continued providing e-mail based information service to the users on topics of general interest to them. This service has been well received by the users.

Also, to supplement the resources of DST Library, Interlibrary Lending Service was extended to the users. In this service, the Library borrowed books/ journals from other Libraries and in turn supplied books on Interlibrary Loan to these Libraries as per their requirements.

Integrated Finance

The Integrated Finance Division (IFD) of DST has been entrusted with the responsibility of providing advice and support on all financial matters and monitoring the progress of expenditure on various activities. The DST was allocated an amount of Rs. 400.00 crores (Plan) and Rs. 429.62 crores (Non-Plan) for the year 2001-2002. The Budget for 2002-2003 is Rs. 1014.25 crores ( Rs. 615.00 crores Plan and Rs. 399.25 crores Non-Plan).