Department of Science Technology & Innovation Council

Govt.of UT of Jammu & Kashmir

Ongoing Flagship programmes/projects of JKST&IC

Establishment of Bio Technology Parks at Jammu and Kashmir Regions. Ministry of Science and Technology, Department of Bio-Technology, G.O.I has sanctioned two Industrial Bio-Technology Parks (IBTP) Vide sanction order No.BY/A-22/BTParks J&K/2014 dated 07-06-2018 for the UT of J&K at an Estimated cost of Rs 8466 lacs on sharing basis of funds in the ratio of 70:30 between Department of Biotechnology, GOI and Department of S&T , UT of J&K. The parks are being Established at Ghati, Kathua, jammu and Baripora, Handwara, Kashmir at an estimated cost of Rs 4200.00 lacs and 4266.00 lacs respectively. Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM)-CSIR Jammu is the Knowledge partner and Implementing Agency for both the parks and National Project Construction company (NPCC) has been nominated as the construction Agency for both the parks by PMC. The Bio Technology park shall provide platform to the Researchers, scientists, innovators, Enterprises to convert their their research/ idea into the products and services by providing necessary infrastructure support accelerated commercial growth. In J&K the Bio Technology parks shall promote the conservation, cultivation, processing and commercial exploitation of rare Aromatic and Medicinal plants reserves in J&K, being rich in Bio-resource materials. The parks will also help the growers, farmers on value addition of the Bio products, Market linkages and post-harvest Management of the Aromatic and Medicinal products, besides generating employment opportunities in UT of J&K. Around 50% of the work in respect of both the parks has been completed up to Dec-2020. So far an amount of Rs 2125.00 lacs have been released by JKST&IC, Department of science and Technology in favour of Director IIM-CSIR Jammu in respect of the both the parks, While an amount of Rs 2209.00 lacs have been released by DBT GOI towards both the parks. The release of remaining funds from both the stake holders is in process. Establishment of Sub Regional science center Jammu: The identification of the land for the proposed establishment of sub Regional science center Jammu has been taken up with the Divisional commissioner Jammu .Several sites for the same have been identified for the purpose the selection of the final site is in process. Establishment of demonstration farms , project K-5000 : The farmers from hills and mountains of frontier district of Kupwara suffer from inherent constraints of remoteness, inaccessibility, marginality and fragility, short growing season, poor productivity, poor production management, labour shortages, poor post-harvest management etc. Agriculture overtime has also become relatively less remunerative profession due to low yields, with new generation of farm youth shying away from agriculture and looking for urban centric vocations. The farming community of the district Kupwara as in the rest of country are facing tough times to earn sufficient economic returns with traditional farming and crops, as the global warming has taken severe toll on agricultural productivity. Lack of infrastructure, illiteracy, poor irrigation sources, traditional and less remunerative cropping system are the major problems of the target farmer community. Farmers receive only 10% - 20% of the consumer price from traditional crops. Besides a serious trend of converting agricultural land holding to non-agricultural sectors due to poor profitability is posing a serious threat to agricultural production and sustainability. The project K-5000 is a flagship initiative of CSIR-IIIM, Jammu in collaboration with JK ST&IC wherein the cultivation, processing and utilization of Lavender, Rose, Salvia, Tagetus, Mints and other high value aromatic and medicinal crops, development of extraction/ processing infrastructure, capacity building and skill development was being carried out through “Establishment of demonstration farms for cultivation of Aromatic Crops” over the under-utilized Kahcharie (State Grazeland) at different remote locations in the district over a period of 03 years. Cultivation processing and value addition of these crops based on CSIR-IIIM technologies will also provide an alternate crop to the farmers for adoption in the existing cropping systems for increased income generation and employment opportunities besides developing of sustainable agri-business model for prospective entrepreneurs, indigenous supply source of raw material for food, flavour, cosmetic, therapeutic and essential oil industry. Globally essential oils constitute multi-billion dollar business and the natural aroma sources having greater acceptability to the industry have tremendous potential to give a quantum leap to the aroma business. The Establishment of Demonstration Farms of Aroma Cash Crops Project K-5000 in District Kupwara was approved by the Govt. of J&K with the total project cost of Rs 500.00 lakh vide G.O. No. 32-ST of 2017, Dated 14-05-2017.Under the Project sanction was accorded for cultivating and setting up of Demonstration farms of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants on Community owned/ Kacharai land in the District kupwara.so far around 1500 kanals of land has been brought under the cultivation of different Aromatic and Medicinal crops. This project is a joint venture between CSIR – Indian Institute of Integrative Medicines (IIIM) Jammu and J&K Science, Technology and Innovation Council on 50:50 share bases as per the following break-up. IIIM -CSIR Jammu is the Implementing Agency for the Project. So far IIIM-CSIR, Jammu has released Rs 250.00 lakhs , while an amount of only Rs 85.00 lakh has been released by JKST&IC. The release of the rest of the funds by JKST&IC is in pipeline. The project can be replicated in other districts of UT of J&K on the same terms and conditions for employment generation. Establishment of Sub Regional Science Centre at Srinagar: JK science Technology and Innovation council in collaboration with National council for science Museums (NCSM), Ministry of Culture , GOI is in the process of Establishment of sub Regional science centre Grade II in Srinagar, under its scheme “UT share for Development of land/ site for Sub Regional Science Centre sponsored by Ministry of Culture GOI at Srinagar”. The basic objective of the proposed centre is to promote and popularize science through Exhibits and experimentation The proposed science centre will have both indoor and outdoor science Exhibits for promotion of science Education. It will have both Educational and Recreational appeal. The approved cost of the project is Rs 1820.00 lakh in which the capital component of the project amounting to Rs 1400.00 lakh, which is 100% funded by GoI. The remaining amount shall be shared by NCSM and JKST&IC in the Ration of 20:80, out of that an amount of Rs 60.00 has already been paid by JKST&IC. A plot of land measuring 24 kanals and 8 marals has already identified by JKST&IC at Lal Mandhi, Sgr. which stands transferred to S&T Department vide Govt. Order No: 195-Rev(s) of 2017 dated: 8.8.2017 and subsequently handed over to S&T for possession vide letter No: TSS/09/1816-20/17(171) dated: 15.1.2018. NCSM has nominated R&B Kashmir as the construction agency for the project. Contour Mapping and soil Testing of the land/ site has been done. The site has been handed over to NCSM for construction of the science Centre. Establishment of Spatial Data Infrastructure (J&K Geo Portal) : The Project tilted “Establishment of spatial Data Infrastructure (J&K Geo Portal)”,was sanctioned in favour of JK science Technology and Innovation council in the year 2012-13 vide sanction letter No. NRDMS/11/1722/010 dated 07-06-2012 by the Department of Science and Technology (DST)Govt. of India in collaborative mode with the Directorate of Ecology ,Environment and Remote Sensing , Govt J&K, on sharing basis of funds between DST, GOI and JKST&IC in the ratio of 70:30 over a period of Three years. JKST&IC has released 23.75 laks against its share of Rs 130.54 (30%).The projects will be completed on March 2021.The basic objective of the project is to make Geographical information available to all the stake holders of the UT and to create centralized Geo-database for online Access. The department proposes to further extend the project.