Annual Report 2007-2008

Gender Initiatives

Science And Technology For Women -Empowering Rural Women Through S & T

The Department of Science & Technology has pioneered, S&T based empowerment of women in the country for the past two decades by supporting development of successful technology models which provide enhanced opportunities for livelihood, reduce drudgery and address health issues specific to women. The scheme ‘Science & Technology for Women’ was started during the Sixth Five Year Plan with broad objectives to promote development and adaptation of appropriate technologies, transfer of proven technologies and demonstration of live technology models to benefit women. Due to the efforts of the last two decades, this programme has made a distinct impact through its innovative approach, gender sensitivity and involvement of S&T based voluntary organizations having strong linkages at the grass root. Apart from sponsoring time bound projects, some of the successful technology models developed in individual projects are being replicated in different parts of the country as coordinated programmes. To utilize the potential of women scientists to tackle societal issues, a fellowship scheme is being implemented for supporting R&D into issues of immediate societal relevance. The extremely important and difficult area of technology transfer is also being addressed by women scientists working under the scheme.

Participatory Technology Development

DST’s role has been catalytic, focusing on technology development/appropriation and demonstration aspects. Once the technology package is field tested and found viable, it is taken up by other departments for replication. Women’s participation is central to this approach and a well articulated strategy keeping in view gender constraints has ensured the total involvement of women. All the programmes are formulated in response to felt needs and based on local resources available in rural areas such as manpower, artisanal skills, land, water, forest, livestock, etc. At Women Technology Park at Nayagram Tribal Block, West Midnapore, West Bengal; Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur is engaged in technology development to reduce drudgery and produce quality products from natural fibre (Sabai, Sisal & Mat grass), Bamboo and Wood & Atari Crafts technologies. Technology development has been taken up based on the inputs provided by the women and this participatory approach has led to women adopting these technologies with ease. Technology has been developed for bleaching & softening the fibre; dyeing & deodorizing the fibre; design, development & design hardware’s and also looms for grass weaving and rope making machines. Concurrently, training of rural women to utilize these technologies for income generation is being done.

Replicable Models

Coordinated programmes are taken up in response to a felt need in a large geographical spread with emphasis on creation of replicable models/systems based on sustainable technology packages. The process takes into account the local resources/skills available, the problems of the existing economic structures, gender and environment friendliness of the technology package and long-term sustainability of the entire programme. In these programmes, technology back up is provided by a National level S&T Institution. Successful packages developed are then taken up for intensive demonstration in local areas for larger impact.

In the coordinated programme on fodder and feed implemented in different agro climatic areas, the technology was sourced from Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi and coordination and monitoring was done by an institution having grassroot level experience and technical expertise. Under this programme, intensive fodder production techniques such as introduction of new species of fodder such as Napier, Bajra Hybrid (Co-3) Guinea grass, Maize (AT), Berseem, Oats Sorghum, Cowpea, Lucerne, Ricebean were undertaken through large scale field demonstrations in farmers field which resulted in increased fodder quantity and quality and larger incomes for women. To upgrade animal nutrition, other issues taken up were upgrading poor quality roughages, silage preparation for quality fodder and lean period supply. To address safety issues, hand operated chaffing units were introduced in high rainfall area and these were found to be most useful for women. The programme was implemented in 12 locations covering 6 agro climatic zones.

Projects completed successfully during this period

• Standardization of technology for Estrus synchronization and fixed time breeding in dairy animals;
  
• Low cost unit for processing and preservation of horticultural produce for empowerment of women;
  
• Indigenous media for embryo transfer technology;
  
• Improvement in traditional methods of replenishing soil fertility vis-à-vis organic farming for food security
  and biodiversity conservation in North –East;
  
• Rain water harvesting tanks construction by women in the arid zone;
  
• Enhancement of fish culture using periphyton as natural food; and
  
• Development of a wool opener for course thick Deccani wool.
  

During the year, thirty five projects were sponsored in diverse technology areas such as natural resource management; bio attractants for honey bee; production and fabrication techniques of optical components for scientific/optical instruments; paper recycling technology; root mat production and other modern agricultural practices; nursery techniques for aromatic and medicinal plants cultivation; rural dairy; watershed based soil and water conservation, preservation, processing; and post harvest technology of off seasonal vegetables; tissue culture technology.

Progress made in some of the projects which have made visible impact for the empowerment of women is given below:

• Technologies have been developed for empowering the women of Pollachi region in Coimbatore District through improved post harvest technologies. In the project, an improved community model solar tunnel dryer of size 4 m (w) x 10m ( L) x 3m (H) has been designed and constructed at Negamam Village, Coimbatore using locally available materials for hygienic and quicker coconut drying (Figure 9.1). The semi circular roof portion of the dryer was covered with 200 micron UV-stabilized polyethylene film. The inside of the dryer was provided with metallic racks for keeping the coconut in layers for drying. The system has facilities for the continuous monitoring of temperature, relative humidity, solar intensity and sunshine hours. The dryer has multiple advantages like improved quality of the copra, cost effectiveness and environment friendly drying.
• A programme to standardize the techniques for Eri silkworm rearing and defoliation of castor on medium black soils of Karnataka and popularization of Ericulture through training programmes and a participatory approach was taken up in Karnataka as an additional income generation measure for women. The model for utilization of castor for Eri silkworm rearing for Karnataka has been standardized and training of women groups to adopt and practice this new technology in the region has been taken up.
  
  
  

Figure 9.1: Solar Tunnel Dryer

• Product diversification studies on Mulberry fruit and leaf for value addition in sericulture were done to include detailed studies on yield estimates, biochemical analysis and cost benefit analysis. Recipe development, edibility and shelf life studies and commercial potential were also studied. Standardization of procedures for products such as Mulberry Tea: ‘Mulbericha Green’ and ‘Mulbericha Rich’; Mulberry Fruit Syrup; and Mulberry Fruit Preserve have been completed. Women entrepreneurs have been trained in the technologies generated and are being handheld for getting an FPO license for starting their own units. Model project documents for micro-entrepreneurship have been developed so that the women can easily avail bank loans.
• A coordinated programme on “Large scale employment generation in coastal India through sustainable utilization of marine bio-resources” has been launched with the objective of cultivation, processing and value addition of seaweeds with direct benefits for coastal women keeping in view of environmental considerations, economics, post harvest value addition, ecological sharing. The programme is being implemented in six different coastal regions of the country for cultivation and value addition in seaweeds such as Porphyra & Sargassum, Kappaphycus and Gracilaria.

Major Programmes

Rural Women’s Technology Park

To provide a platform for location specific technology development, appropriation and dissemination and delivery, the concept of setting up of Rural Women Technology Parks (WTP) in different geographical locations was taken up. Since geographic and agro-climatic aspects are one of the major distinguishing features demanding location specific orientation, these Technology Parks are being set up for special terrains such as coastal, hill and arid zone. This year, a women technology park has been facilitated in Orissa. These women technology parks showcase technology options, provide training and the required backward and forward linkages to rural women for undertaking income generation activities based on local resources.

At the Women Technology Park (WTP) set up at Sagar Islands, the western most island of the Ganges delta in Sunderbans, over 250 women have been trained in technologies such as Soil testing/Water testing, Vermicomposting, Production of vermiwash, Hardening of banana plantlets, Extraction of banana fibre & production of value added products, Computer Hardware, Biopesticides, Apiculture, post harvest processing, soil fertility management, medicinal plant cultivation and semi processing, nursery techniques, aquaculture, energy. 300 women farmers have benefited from the WTP in terms of timely input by the soil and water testing laboratories. Support to the potential women entrepreneurs for obtaining loans and starting their own enterprises has been provided.

Another WTP project is being implemented by Magan Sangrahalaya Samiti, Wardha, Maharashtra. The project coverage includes 60 villages in two blocks of Wardha District, Maharashtra. More than 7000 rural women have been mobilized and 503 Women Self Help Groups have been formed to take up income generation activities based on training imparted in the WTP. These women have been linked to 15 banks. 1000 SHG families have been covered under Health insurance scheme, 23 booklets on Home remedies have been prepared. Water and sanitation work has been undertaken in 10 villages.

More than 1500 women farmers are practicing organic farming after training received at the WTP. Women of the area have been trained at 26 technical institutions in 9 states through a total of 42 training programs conducted at the WTP. 30 enterprises in 20 villages have been established by these trained women. Direct employment has been provided to 670 rural women.

At the WTP, situated at Nayagram Block of West Midnapore District, West Bengal, 24 Villages have been selected in consultation with Panchayat Samity & local NGOs. The technologies selected after need assessment are Natural Fibre based Craft Making (Sabai, Sisal & Mat grass); Bamboo, Wood & Atari Crafts; Nursery Raising for High-value Plants; Growing Medicinal Plants and Forest Edibles; Fodder Growing & Feed Manufacturing; Vermi-Compost preparation; Mushroom Cultivation & Processing; Bee-keeping & Honey Processing; Food Processing from Forest Edibles and Local Resources. The WTP also serves as a common facility centre utilized by tribal and other women in Nayagram and neighbouring Blocks. 87 out of 127 selected women have been sensitized and have completed skill training. 54 out of 87 skilled women have established their enterprises in different trades. 6 Production Units have been established and managed by SHGs. 8 craftswomen have enrolled themselves with DIC as registered artisans for financial and marketing opportunities.

Hand operated Grass Rope Making Machine has been designed, fabricated and tested. Field testing by women rope makers as well as invention disclosure and patenting are in progress (Figure 9.2).

Figure 9.2: Innovative Hand Operated Sabai Rope Making Machine

Coordinated programme on nutrition based women’s health

A country wide multicentric study on Development of Prevention and Intervention Strategies for Nutrition related non–communicable Disorders among post reproductive period women, involving medical doctors and nutritionist, has revealed that women are most vulnerable to multiple problems such as- cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis, malignancies, and depression. Many of these are related to age and faulty dietary patterns in urban areas and fast spreading to rural areas. Modification in lifestyle and diet can stem these problems. Dietary and lifestyle related data has been collected from over 1000 subjects spread across rural and urban areas and has been analyzed. Educational material has been prepared and disseminated to women. Post intervention data is now being collected.

National Award for Women’s Development through Application of Science & Technology

This award was instituted in the year 2000 with an aim to recognize the contribution of an individual who has worked out at the grass root level for women’s development through application of science and technology. The award is being given every year and carries a cash award of Rs.1.00 lakh along with a citation. The award is open to the resident Indian citizen/ institution that should have a minimum of 10 years contribution through application of S&T at the grass root level for women’s development. In exceptional circumstances, if more than one individual/institution is selected for an award, the amount of award is separately given to each. Individuals/institutions that have received this award are not eligible for this award subsequently. For the year 2006, the award was given to two young women scientists:

• Dr. Jatinder Kaur Arora, Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, Chandigarh in recognition of her outstanding contribution in the area of cultivation and value addition of medicinal & aromatic plants, promotion of vermicomposting for solid waste management and promotion of genetic literacy among women in rural areas of Punjab.
• Dr. Maninder Jeet Kaur, Himalayan Research Group, Shimla in recognition of her pioneering work in making technology accessible to the women of the remote areas of the Himachal Himalayas in the areas of medicinal plant cultivation, mushroom cultivation and fodder management.

Fellowship Scheme For Women Scientists

Fellowship to women scientists and technologists for pursuing research in frontier areas of Science and Engineering (WOS-A)

The ‘Women Scientist Scheme- A (WOS-A)’ is aimed at providing opportunities to women scientists and technologists for pursuing research in frontier areas of Science and Engineering. A special provision has been made under this scheme to encourage those women scientists who have had break in their careers. It provides a launch pad for them to return to mainstream of science and work as bench-level scientists. This scheme became operational in 2003.

Since its inception, the Department has received 3532 proposals against which 539 projects have been supported in different disciplines - Life Sciences: 293, Chemical Sciences: 84, Physics and Mathematics: 69, Engineering Sciences: 61, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: 32. The trend over the last five years indicates 15% approval rate. The age-wise distribution of women scientists supported under the Scheme shows that maximum number of selected candidates are in the age-group of 35-45 years, which seems to justify the aim of the scheme.

The Department sanctioned 86 projects this year. The subject-wise distribution of sanctioned projects was: Life Sciences – 46; Chemical Sciences – 14, Physical and Mathematical Sciences – 9; Earth and Atmospheric Sciences – 7; and Engineering Sciences – 10.

The Department also received a total of 451 new proposals (Life Sciences – 264, Chemical Sciences – 71, Physical and Mathematical Sciences – 46, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences – 34, and Engineering Sciences – 36) during the year.

To involve women scientists from all the states of the country in this unique programme, the Department started organizing Sensitization Workshops on Women Scientist Scheme – A (WOS-A) to popularize it among scientists and technologists in various parts of the country and also to mentor them. As part of this exercise, the workshop organizers are asked to advertise the Scheme in local and vernacular print media to seek pre- roposals for presentation during the Workshop. After screening by an expert group, the promising candidates were asked to submit full fledged proposals to DST. This has proved to be a very effective tool in generating research proposals from such women scientists. Four workshops were organized this year at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad; Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur; Kashmir University, Srinagar; and Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development, Imphal.

The Department has also started monitoring the projects funded under this Scheme. During the year, the Department monitored 295 ongoing projects. Out of these, 2 were graded excellent, 18 – very good, 96 – good, 173 - satisfactory and 6 were graded as poor. This indicated that the technical selection of these projects had been quite good. Analysis of last year’s progress indicates that these women scientists have contributed 284 research papers. Not only this, approximately 25% of the awardees have got employment in universities and national laboratories – a significant addition to the scientific workforce of the country.

Fellowship Scheme for Women Scientists for Societal Programmes (WOS-B)

This scheme is aimed to provide an opportunity to women scientists to reenter into the R&D field after a break in career. The fellowship scheme has been designed keeping in view gender constraints, diverse abilities and aptitudes of women.

The scheme for women scientists for societal programmes (WOS-B) is designed to fulfill various objectives in a challenging inter disciplinary field for the development of the society. Over 100 women scientists have benefited from the scheme since its inception in 2003.

In the year 2007, around 350 applications were received from all over the country in different subject areas from which 45 candidates have been recommended while around 60 candidates have been provided suggestions for revising their proposals.

Some highlights of projects supported under this scheme are:

• Promotion and popularization of artificial diet chawki rearing through chawki rearing center: Development and use of artificial diet in chawki rearing, using specially evolved diet hybrids (PM x CSR2) through sericulture technology and for chawki rearing in traditional sericulture areas for better cocoon crops.
• Development of farming techniques of commercially important seaweeds and their transfer to the socioeconomically backward population of Goa:- Tissue culture technique for producing seed materials of seaweeds-Stoechospermum marginatum, Padina tetrastomatica, Spatoglossum aspermum and Sargassum tenerrimum was successfully developed. Three different types of artificial feeds viz.- Chlorodesmis fastigiata Padina tetrastomatica and Stoechospermum marginatum were formulated to incorporate seaweeds as one of the ingredients for a freshwater carp (Catla catla).
  
• Promotion of cultivation of Thysanolaena maxima (broom grass), a multiuse species of high fodder value in selected villages of District Nainital, Kumaun Himalaya, Uttaranchal:- A comparison of possible annual fodder yield from T. maxima plantations at sites in the hilly (Khurpatal) and bhabhar (Chikiya) regions of Kumaun Himalaya was carried out. An increased milk yield, better quality of milk was achieved when Thysanolaena maxima was used in animal feed resulting in savings approximately Rs.15 per cow per day.
• Scientific understanding of sedges and natural dyes used for fine and superfine silk mats of Pathamadai, Tamil Nadu to enhance quality and promote income generation for women:- Twenty different plant dye sources have been successfully identified to have dyeing properties with sedge culm strands. Using these eco-friendly natural dyes, ten different colors and more than fifteen varied shades of red, orange, yellow, brown, black, blue, green have been produced on mat sedge culm for the first time. Procedures for the extraction of coloring matter in aqueous medium have been standardized at small scale for mat sedge culm strands. A shade card having 20 shades of sedge culm dyed strands having good light, wash and rub fastness has been produced. The newly identified source of sedge material reduces the demand of the conventionally used sedge and enhanced the availability of raw material.
• Multi-scale Modeling and Mathematical problems related to cancer tumor evolution and medical therapy:- A mathematical model was developed to study the drug delivery in cancer tissues. The Model sheds light on kinetics part of the cancer treatment using herbal drugs including compartmental analysis for Lycopene.
• Organic Growth Promoters were developed and used for cultivation of Brinjal, tomato viz: Bokashi, Panchakavya, Amrit pani to increase yields and reduce pest incidence which resulted in greater profits for farmers.
• Bioremediation of pesticide contaminated soil using various bioprocessed materials:- Extensive use of chemical pesticides has resulted in widespread contamination of soil and food. Present study was taken up at IIT, Delhi in collaboration with IARI, New Delhi to develop a suitable technology package to reduce the residual pesticide and its toxic metabolites from soil. Phytoremediation studies on chlorpyrifos contaminated soil were taken up. Four common plants {marigold (Tagetes erecta), kelli (Canna indica), cactus (Cereus peruvianus), and berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum)} and four locally available bioprocessed materials (BPM) i.e. heap manure (HM), biogas slurry (BS), mushroom spent (MS) and Vermicompost (VC) as biostimulation agent (as a source of nutrients as well as microflora) were chosen for lab level studies. Results revealed 99% chlorpyrifos dissipation in 50 days, but its metabolites were formed even after 80 days. Novel and encouraging results after comparing four different plants and four bioprocessed materials generated a lot of enthusiasm and field studies on chlorpyrifos dissipation using integration of kelli (Canna indica) with vermicompost (VC) were setup at IIT, Delhi. The integrated plot (VC+CN+KR) showed 91% chlorpyrifos dissipation which was significantly higher than the control where only 50% dissipation was observed. These results suggest that such a design integrating phytoremediation with agronomic practices would prove a novel pragmatic approach in much faster clean up of contaminated agricultural soil. Results also show the feasibility of growing kelli plant alone on pesticide contaminated site near the pesticide production industry for decontamination with aesthetic look.

Fellowship Scheme for Creating Self-Employment Opportunities in IPR (WOS-C)

Under the Women Scientist Scholarship Scheme of Department of Science & Technology (WOS-C), the third batch of 37 women scientists was selected by all India level examination followed by interview. The selected candidates went through an extensive month long orientation programme in May 2007, conducted by PFC-TIFAC at New Delhi. During this programme, they were exposed to different fields of IPR by the most prestigious IPR faculty of the country. They were also trained in patent searches. All the candidates are undergoing training in attorney firms, government agencies and industry partners.

Task Force For Women In Science

On the recommendation of SAC-PM, the Government of India has constituted a Task force for Women in Science under the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology. The Task Force was set up by the DST in 2005. The Task Force has tenure of three years. The main purpose of the Task Force is to ensure that the interests of women scientists are protected, and that appropriate measures required to promote and retain women in scientific profession are taken up. Since its constitution, the Task Force has had seven meetings. To get ideas and suggestions, brain storming sessions were held with group of women scientists, college teachers and PG students in different parts of the country. Some important initiatives taken by the task force are operationalization of a website and directory of women scientists (www.indianwomenscientists.in). This website for women scientists is an exclusive interactive website covering all the Ministries, Departments, S&T institutions, Universities and Colleges of the country. Women scientists having a minimum qualification of PhD in Science/Engineering/ Medicine would be able to upload their bio-data on the website, which can then be used for being available for any kind of discussion/ workshop/selection/promotion committees.

Articles on achievements of successful women scientists and life histories of past and present women scientists are being chronicled to be brought out in the form of a book. A project on gender in illustrations and writings in science textbooks has been initiated to be undertaken by Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, TIFR, Mumbai. A National Conference for Women Scientists is being organized in March 2008 at Vigyan Bhawan with an aim to discuss gender related issues and concurrently showcase cutting edge science by women. The conference will be attended by over 300-400 women scientists from different parts of the country.