PARLIAMENT QUESTION: INITIATIVES FOR PROMOTING TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, RURAL TECHNIQUES AND LOCAL INNOVATIONS IN BIHAR

Ministry of Science & Technology PARLIAMENT QUESTION: INITIATIVES FOR PROMOTING TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, RURAL TECHNIQUES AND LOCAL INNOVATIONS IN BIHAR Posted On: 07 AUG 2025 3:26PM by PIB Delhi The Government of India is actively working towards identification and promotion of traditional knowledge, rural technologies, and local innovations across the country, including Bihar. The Science and Heritage Research Initiative (SHRI) Cell of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) aims to utilize modern Science & Technology (S&T) tools to preserve, protect, and present the traditional knowledge of India. The SHRI Cell supported a project at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Patna, Bihar for digital restoration of UNESCO World Heritage site Nalanda by creating Augmented Reality (AR) to revive its ancient glory. The Science for Equity, Empowerment and Development (SEED) Division of DST through its variety of schemes/programmes constantly endeavours societal development by supporting rural technologies and local innovations for creating sustainable livelihoods, primarily for enabling disadvantaged sections of the society. Project support was given to Bihar Agriculture University, Bhagalpur for revitalizing chickpea cultivation through microbial consortium in iron-deficient farmlands of Bihar and to ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region, Patna to work on sustainable livelihood improvement of Scheduled Caste (SC) community through introduction of high yielding cereals, pulses and vegetable crops in Meskaur and Sirdala Blocks, Nawada District, Bihar. In addition to above mentioned projects, during last 3 years DST supported 60 projects in multiple domains of S&T in Bihar. The National Innovation Foundation (NIF), an autonomous institution of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, is actively involved in identifying and promoting traditional knowledge, rural techniques, and local innovations across the country, including Bihar. During last five years, NIF had scouted a total of 6850 ideas, innovations, and traditional knowledge from 32 districts of Bihar and also facilitated technology commercialization and supported innovations in the field of Engineering, Plant Varieties / Crop Protection, and traditional knowledge. Three grassroots innovations from Bihar were awarded at national and international platforms. The list of 36 granted patents, 3 patent applications, and 1 PPV&FRA (Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority) filed from Bihar may be seen at Annexure I. List of innovations financially assisted by NIF from 8 districts of Bihar may be seen at Annexure II. Annexure I S.No. Patents Granted District Herbal Composition for Prevention or Control of Plant Pests East Champaran (Patent # 418984) Herbal Composition For Prevention or Control of Plant Pests East Champaran (Patent # 352692) Herbal Composition For Prevention or Control of Plant Pests East Champaran(Patent # 352692) Herbal Composition For Prevention or Control of Plant Pests East Champaran (Patent # 415583) Improved Hacksaw (Patent Number: 386458) Sitamarhi Smoke Free Cooker Assembly (Patent # 378369) East Champaran A Multifocal Lighting Device (Patent # 387281) Lakhisaria Two Way Operating Gear System (Patent # 388215) Khagaria Multipurpose Walking Support Device (Patent # 403211) Patna A Noise Reduction Device (Patent # 412044) West Champaran A Modified Cart (Patent # 417013) Muzaffarpur An Emergency Mechanism For Vehicular Escape (Patent # Patna 442201) A Water Irrigation Pump (Patent # 515591) West Champaran Novel Garment For Antimolestation (Patent # 514992) Samastipur Sleep-Walking Detector and Preventer (Patent # 567390) Madhubani Automatic Food Making Machine (Patent # 391068) Bhagalpur Automatic Food Making Machine (Patent # 425469) Bhagalpur Automatic Food Making Machine (Patent # 448948) Bhagalpur Herbal Composition For Therapeutic Management of Obesity Sitamarhi and Process of Preparation Thereof (Patent No. 526091) A Herbal Formulation For Treating Diseases of The Mouth Nalanda and To Maintain Oral Hygiene (Patent Number– 439627) Herbal compositions for management of liver disorders and Sheohar methods thereof (Patent Number: 434341) Herbal Pharmaceutical Formulation For Cataract and Process Sitamarhi of Preparation Thereof (Patent Number- 432456) Herbal formulation for Prevention and Treatment of Eye disease and method of preparation Thereof (Patent No. Nawada 419848) Herbal preparation for Therapeutic management of Nawada Neurological disorders (Patent No. 416170) Herbal Composition For Control of High Blood Pressure and West Champaran Process of Preparation (Patent Number :391323) Herbal Composition For Treatment Of Diarrhoea and Method Nawada Thereof (Patent Number :385679) Herbal Composition For A Beverage With Antihypertensive West Champaran Properties (Patent Number :381691) A Herbal Formulation For Treating Disease and Complications Caused By The Malarial Parasite (Patent Nawada Number :380902) Herbal Compositions For Treatment or Prevention of Nawada Neurological Disorders (Patent Number :371369) Herbal Compositions For Management of Liver Disorders Sheohar and Methods Thereof (Patent Number :366860)A Herbal Composition For Treatment of Malaria (Patent Siwan Number :365970) Herbal Composition For A Beverage With Anti-Inflammatory East Champaran Properties (Patent Number :363070) Herbal Preparation For Therapeutic Management Of Sheohar Neurological Disorders (Patent Number :356907) A Herbal Formulation To Enhance Poultry Immunity (Patent East Champaran Number :394718) A Herbal Formulation For Treatment Of Bloating (Patent West Champaran Number :378824) Herbal Composition For The Treatment Of Ephemeral Fever Nawada (Patent Number :362274) S. No. Patents Filed District Iron Cutting and Bending Machine (Application no. Nawada 202231024659) A cannula safety apparatus/glove and method thereof Bhagalpur (Application no. 202521020192) Synergistic herbal pesticide composition for controlling agricultural insect pests and methods of preparation thereof East Champaran (Application: 202521017731) A PPV&FRA application for registration was filed - SONALI-45: Improved cauliflower variety: Application Vaishali Number: REG/2025/0742 Annexure II S.No. District Innovations i. Sanjeev Selection: Improved cauliflower variety ii. Sonali 45: Improved cauliflower variety 1. Vaishali iii. AgaatKritika: Improved cauliflower variety iv. KS 67: Improved variety of onion i. China 72: Improved variety of chilli 2. Sitamarhi ii. Maniyari: Improved variety of hyacinthbean i. Sagar Jamal: Improved variety of potato ii. Ankit: Improved cauliflower variety iii. Katka 112: Improved cauliflower variety 3. East Champaran iv. AsniMatar: Improved variety of garden pea v. Raja Mooli: Improved variety of radish vi. Herbal preparation for controlling lepidopteran and sucking pests of Brinjal crop 4. Samastipur RK 2001: Improved variety of brinjal Herbal botanical compositions for controlling of sucking 5. West Champaran and lepidopteran insect pests of Brinjal and Tomato 6. Jamui Fridge Surahi 7. Nawada Metal Cutting cum Bending Machine8. Nalanda Power tiller-mounted potato harvester This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today. *** NKR/PSM (Release ID: 2153541)