**Executive Summary**
This document provides answers to Unstarred Question No. 2912 in the Lok Sabha, answered on December 17, 2025, regarding State Science and Technology (S&T) Councils. It details the support provided by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) to State S&T Councils, including financial assistance and support for SC/ST cells. It also specifies financial support allocated to Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology under SSTP to implement the Student Project Programme for the period (2020-21 to 2024-25).
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **State Science & Technology (S&T) Councils Support:**
* The DST, through its State Science and Technology Programme (SSTP), supports Centre-State S&T cooperation.
* Currently, 27 State S&T Councils are supported, including Andhra Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.
* Annexure gives details of Funds sanctioned and released to S&T Councils towards assistance to their S&T Secretariat since financial year 2016-17.
* **SC/ST Cells:**
* The Department has established Scheduled Caste (SC)/Scheduled Tribe (ST) Cells at 11 State S&T Councils for systemic mapping of livelihood system of SC/ST Communities.
* There is no SC/ST cell at Andhra Pradesh State Council for Science & Technology.
* List of States with supported SC/ST Cells:
* Karnataka
* Kerala
* Punjab
* Tamil Nadu
* Telangana
* West Bengal
* Tripura
* Arunachal Pradesh
* Mizoram
* Sikkim
* Uttarakhand
* **Student Project Programme:**
* Rs. 41.90 Lakhs was released (financial year 2022-23) to Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology to implement the Student Project Programme.
* 26,038 students in Karnataka were supported from 2020-21 to 2024-25.
**Impact Analysis**
* **State S&T Councils:**
**Impact:** These councils receive financial and programmatic support from the DST to promote science and technology at the state level.
**Action Required:** Utilize the allocated funds and support to further develop and implement S&T initiatives within their respective states.
* **SC/ST Communities:**
**Impact:** The establishment of SC/ST cells aims to empower these communities through science and technology interventions.
**Action Required:** Engage with the supported SC/ST Cells to implement initiatives that address the specific needs and challenges faced by SC/ST communities.
* **Students in Karnataka:**
**Impact:** Students benefit from the Student Project Programme, gaining opportunities to participate in research and development activities.
**Action Required:** Participate actively in the Student Project Programme, conduct research, and contribute to the advancement of science and technology.
* **Department of Science and Technology (DST):**
**Impact:** DST is responsible for overseeing and supporting the State S&T Councils and related programs.
**Action Required:** Monitor the progress and outcomes of supported programs and ensure effective utilization of funds.
Key Entities Referenced
Department of Science and Technology (DST): The primary agency funding and supporting State Science and Technology Councils.
State Science and Technology Programme (SSTP): A program by DST that nurtures Centre-State Science and Technology cooperation through support to S&T Secretariats.
State Science and Technology (S&T) Councils: Organizations in each state/UT responsible for promoting science and technology at the state level.
Ministry of Science and Technology: The central government ministry responsible for overall policy and funding related to science and technology in India.
Andhra Pradesh: A specific state mentioned, indicating a focus or particular interest in the policy's impact there.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2912
ANSWERED ON 17/12/2025
STATE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (S&T) COUNCILS
2912. SHRI MAGUNTA SREENIVASULU REDDY:
Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to
state:
(a) the details regarding the total number of State Science and
Technology (S&T) Councils supported under State Science & Technology
Programme, State-wise particularly in Andhra Pradesh;
(b) the details regarding the amount of grants allocated and released to
States under this programme, State and year-wise since the scheme’s
inception;
(c) the details of total number of SC/ST Cells supported under this
programme, State and district-wise particularly for Andhra Pradesh,
especially in Prakasam District;
(d) the details of total number of students supported under the Student
Project Programme of the said programme, State and year-wise during the
last five years; and
(e) the details of the projects supported under the scheme along with
the financial assistance sanctioned and disbursed, State and year-wise
during the last five years?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES
(DR. JITENDRA SINGH)
(a) The Department of Science and Technology (DST), under its State
Science and Technology Programme (SSTP), nurtures Centre-State
Science and Technology (S&T) cooperation through support to S&T
Secretariat of State/Union Territory (UT) Science & Technology Councils.
The list of currently supported 27 State S&T Councils is given in the table
below:
S. Name of State/UT Name of S&T Council
No.
1. Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh State Council for
Science & Technology
2. Arunachal Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh State Council for
Science & Technology
Page 1 of 6S. Name of State/UT Name of S&T Council
No.
3. Assam Assam Science Technology &
Environment Council
4. Bihar Bihar State Science and Technology
Council
5. Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh Council of Science &
Technology
6. Goa Goa State Council of Science &
Technology
7. Gujarat Gujarat Council on Science and
Technology
8. Haryana Haryana State Council for Science &
Technology
9. Himachal Pradesh State Council for Science &
Technology and Environment,
Himachal Pradesh
10. Karnataka Karnataka State Council for Science
and Technology
11. Kerala Kerala State Council for Science,
Technology & Environment
12. Maharashtra Rajiv Gandhi Science & Technology
Commission
13. Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh Council of Science
& Technology
14. Manipur Manipur Science & Technology
Council
15. Meghalaya State Council for Science &
Technology and Environment,
Meghalaya
16. Mizoram Mizoram Science, Technology and
Innovation Council
17. Nagaland Nagaland State Science and
Technology Council
18. Punjab Punjab State Council for Science and
Technology
19. Rajasthan Rajasthan Council of Science &
Technology
20. Sikkim Sikkim State Council of Science &
Technology
21. Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu State Council for Science
& Technology
22. Telangana Telangana State Council of Science
& Technology
Page 2 of 6S. Name of State/UT Name of S&T Council
No.
23. Tripura Tripura State Council for Science &
Technology
24. Uttar Pradesh Council of Science and Technology,
Uttar Pradesh
25. Uttarakhand Uttarakhand State Council for
Science & Technology
26. West Bengal West Bengal State Council for
Science & Technology
27. Puducherry Puducherry Council for Science and
Technology
(b) The details of funds sanctioned and released to S&T Councils
towards assistance to their S&T Secretariat under SSTP since financial
year 2016-17 is given at Annexure.
(c) The Department has established Scheduled Caste (SC)/Scheduled
Tribe (ST) Cells at 11 State S&T Councils under the Scheduled Caste Sub
Plan/Tribal Sub Plan of the Science for Equity Empowerment and
Development (SEED) Division, DST for systemic mapping of livelihood
system of SC/ST Communities. There is no SC/ST cell at Andhra Pradesh
State Council for Science & Technology. List of supported SC/ST Cells is
given as below:
1. Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology
2. Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment
3. Punjab State Council for Science & Technology
4. Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology
5. Telangana State Council of Science & Technology
6. West Bengal State Council of Science & Technology
7. Tripura State Council for Science & Technology
8. Arunachal Pradesh State Council for Science and Technology
9. Mizoram Science, Technology & Innovation Council
10. Sikkim State Council of Science & Technology
11. Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology
(d) to (e): During the last five years, an amount of Rs. 41.90 Lakhs was
released (financial year 2022-23) to Karnataka State Council for Science
and Technology under SSTP to implement the Student Project Programme.
Across this period (2020–21 to 2024–25), 26,038 students in Karnataka
were supported, distributed as follows: 4,413 in 2020–21, 4,515 in 2021–
22, 5,519 in 2022–23, 5,453 in 2023–24, and 6,138 in 2024–25.
Page 3 of 6Annexure
Sanctioned and released amount to S&T Councils towards assistance to
their S&T Secretariat
(In Rs Lakhs)
S. Name of FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY
Total
No. State/UT 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
Arunachal
Pradesh State
1 Council for 184.96 126.76 139.44 102.51 102.51 108.51 106.51 105.01 Nil 976.21
Science &
Technology
Assam
Science
2 Technology & 200.92 152.72 116.65 183.35 183.35 183.35 139.26 139.76 Nil 1,299.36
Environment
Council
Andhra
Pradesh State
3 Council of Nil 43.55 47.91 49.03 37.44 Nil 48.93 52.43 Nil 279.29
Science and
Technology
Bihar Council
4 on Science & 43.00 42.00 33.13 51.82 Nil 5.18 30.09 28.09 Nil 233.31
Technology
Chhattisgarh
Council of
5 134.22 106.02 111.80 122.11 121.12 123.12 127.12 125.59 157.20 1,128.30
Science &
Technology
Goa State
Council for
6 76.84 69.64 59.54 84.65 82.65 84.65 88.65 87.15 Nil 633.77
Science &
Technology
Gujarat
Council on
7 125.20 67.00 72.67 81.52 81.52 81.52 87.52 84.02 106.90 787.87
Science and
Technology
Haryana State
Council for
8 56.53 34.27 23.41 35.72 23.49 27.15 28.72 Nil Nil 229.29
Science &
Technology
Himachal
Pradesh State
Council for
9 165.12 104.72 99.77 118.73 117.54 34.01 91.49 90.5 Nil 821.88
Science,
Technology &
Environment
Karnataka
State Council
10 185.20 127.00 138.09 150.80 152.8 150.8 156.8 155.3 193.50 1,410.29
for Science &
Technology
Page 4 of 6S. Name of FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY
Total
No. State/UT 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
Kerala State
Council for
Science,
11 Nil 188.00 191.69 97.67 108.12 106.72 116.12 112.41 Nil 920.73
Technology
and
Environment
Rajiv Gandhi
Science &
12 Technology 94.80 37.80 1.00 45.80 35.00 45.00 49.00 43.05 Nil 351.45
Commission,
Maharashtra
Madhya
Pradesh
Council of
13 Science & 208.55 150.35 165.39 180.54 180.54 178.54 184.54 183.04 Nil 1,431.49
Technology,
Madhya
Pradesh
Manipur
Science &
14 145.94 111.14 106.21 137.52 135.52 137.52 141.4 140.02 176.90 1,232.17
Technology
Council
State Council
of Science,
Technology,
15 53.80 32.72 10.16 40.64 30.24 30.67 36.39 34.89 Nil 269.51
and
Environment,
Meghalaya
Mizoram
Science,
16 Technology & 115.20 83.00 91.30 100.52 100.52 100.52 104.52 86.56 115.34 897.48
Innovation
Council
Nagaland
Science and
17 136.20 77.97 85.71 94.58 94.58 94.58 98.58 97.08 Nil 779.28
Technology
Council
Punjab State
Council for
18 233.76 150.56 194.22 165.60 163.6 141.96 169.6 168.1 Nil 1,387.40
Science &
Technology
Rajasthan
Council of
19 156.00 156.00 171.60 187.25 137.04 Nil Nil 185.25 Nil 993.14
Science &
Technology
Sikkim State
Council of
20 135.80 86.46 47.69 104.63 78.24 82.76 88.76 87.21 Nil 711.55
Science and
Technology
Page 5 of 6S. Name of FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY
Total
No. State/UT 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
Tamil Nadu
State Council
21 136.88 104.72 115.19 69.03 72.87 88 94 92.5 106.24 879.43
for Science &
Technology
Telangana
State Council
22 131.20 31.45 21.18 39.28 Nil Nil 11.32 4.5 57.14 296.07
of Science &
Technology
Tripura State
Council for
23 63.00 62.00 67.20 75.58 73.58 75.58 79.38 82.08 Nil 578.40
Science &
Technology
Council of
Science &
24 150.20 Nil 165.22 130.36 44.28 87.27 90.26 90.76 Nil 758.35
Technology,
Uttar Pradesh
Uttarakhand
State Council
25 147.80 95.00 104.50 114.77 112.78 104.15 118.78 116.68 Nil 914.46
for Science &
Technology
West Bengal
State Council
26 90.20 32.00 0.00 39.94 Nil 13.2 23.96 21.3 Nil 220.6
of Science and
Technology
Puducherry
State Council
27 21.67 11.50 9.85 25.92 23.92 23.2 24.37 Nil Nil 140.43
for Science &
Technology
Andaman and
Nicobar
28 Science & 55.40 20.20 22.22 12.88 Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil 110.7
Technology
Council
Grand Total
3248.39 2304.55 2412.74 2642.75 2293.25 2107.96 2336.07 2413.28 913.22 20672.21
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