Annual Report 1999-2000

Societal Programmes

Science & Technology for Women

This programme is aimed at promoting Science & Technology for the benefit of women belonging to the economically weaker Sections of Society. The programme serves as a common platform for the cause of developing technology for women, highlighting issues related to women’s technology needs, and also issues related to women’s health. A salient feature of this scheme is the involvement of women at all the stages of the programme from problem identification to dissemination of technology. During the course of the year 35 projects were approved in the priority sectors such as Post harvest technologies, land-based activities, women’s health, Income generation activities and Drudgery removal, rural engineering, medicinal plants, pottery and natural dyes.

Co-Ordinated Programmes

1. Low Cost processing & preservation of horticultural produce.

The second phase of this programme is underway in seven different agroclimatic

Locations of the country. The objectives of the second phase have been realised. All seven units have procured FPO license and have now upscaled their production from pilot scale to full production level. The products of these units are being marketed under the Brand name "Farmers" and handed over to women cooperatives.

2. Development of Training cum service facilities for women on Electrical, Electronic, Computer and Information Technology Application.

Eight Centres of training cum service facilities for women on Electrical, Electronic, Computer and Information Technology Application have been set up in eight states. These are located at remote places and training programme have commenced. All the centres will be run by women and will be for the benefit of the women belonging to the weaker sections.

3. Cultivation, processing and marketing of high value Medicinal Plants.

A Coordinated programme on cultivation, processing and marketing of high value medicinal plants involving women has also been launched in seven different locations. In this programme, locations are being selected in different agroclimatic zones and women will be trained in low cost agrotechnologies for cultivation, semi processing, storage and marketing of medicinal plants.

4. Owning and Sustaining Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programmes through Rural Women in Selected Villages of India.

A Coordinated Project on owning and sustaining rural water supply and sanitation programmes through rural women in selected villages of India is proposed to be launched in seven different zones with an aim to develop live models for owning and sustaining drinking water and sanitation programmes through rural women.

Mahila Vigyan

This unique programme of the scheme Science & Technology for Women aims at improvement of skills to use local resources for better economic benefits and to create awareness among women by application of Scientific knowledge in the field of health, nutrition and employment generation. Under this programme a project is being launched at Wardha on the following areas:

1) Mobile rural health service centre

2. Women’s health

Women’s Technology Park

Two technology parks exclusively for women have been set up, one for the Mountain region at Dehradun and the other at Manipal for the West Coast region. Various training programmes for skill upgradation has commenced such as mushroom cultivation, floriculture and animal husbandry. The third Technology Park is being established in Barmer Dist. of Rajasthan for the Arid Zone with the following specific programme outline:-

• Sustainable Fodder Management
  
• Women’s Health
  
• Post harvest technology
  
• Solar Energy
  
• Medicinal Plants
  
• Processing and weaving of local wool.
  

Programme on Women’s Health

This programme aims at identifying specific health problems of women and to develop an intervention strategy. Some of the projects which have already been launched to look into the needs of the women’s health include:

• A reproductive health diagnostic kit developed for early detection of Urinary Tract Infection and Anemia in women.
  
• Developing and designing protective aids/accessories for the intellectually impaired.
  
• Training for rural women for the development in health, sanitation and integrated child development.
  

Other Projects

Individual projects sanctioned during this year include

• Dissemination of Briquetting Technology for the Fire wood/production of briquettes from agro wastes in rural areas.
  
• Development of simple technology for removal of hardness from water by natural polymeric substance such as bark, seed etc.
  
• Developing low-cost disposable medical products by using locally available raw materials and popularization.
  
• Identification and management of causes of transient infertility in milch animals.
  
• Perma Culture
  
• Investigation of natural dyes used traditionally by Garhwal Tribes.
  
• Breeding and rearing of Angora Rabbit for wool production for income generation.
  
• Cultivation of Orchid and anthurium for income generation of women of North Eastern States.
  
• Mushroom Cultivation for socio-economic development of rural women of Manipur and Sikkim.
  

Completed Projects

During the year, 18 projects were completed successfully. Some of the achievements are as follows:

• Training rural women in the installation, fabrication, repair and maintenance of solar photovoltaic system.
  
• Training women in diversified jute production.
  
• Processing and preservation of arid zone fruits.
  
• Muga culture with the special reference to indoor rearing at Assam.
  

National Consultation on S&T for women – "A Millennium Dialogue"

The National Consultation on S&T for Women was organised in DST on December 20-21, 1999. The objectives of this National Consultation were to facilitate the process of participation of S&T institutions and S&T based NGOs working for women's empowerment in the formulation of programmes for the benefit of women, to involve women S&T professionals in a dialogue on the problems of women, identify technologies relevant to women and promote R&D and evolve pattern for pilot testing and further large scale replication.

The National Consultation was attended by Hon’ble Minister of State for S&T, Secretaries of Government departments, representatives of UN agencies, R&D institutions, National Laboratories, State Councils of S&T and Voluntary Organizations. On this occasion, two special awards were announced in the following categories:

• An award for one who has made outstanding contribution for the benefit of women through the application of Science and Technology.
  
• An award for a distinguished woman scientist for her outstanding contribution to Science.