**Executive Summary**
The document is a response to Unstarred Question No. 2955 in Lok Sabha, answered on December 17, 2025, regarding technology development for disaster management and climate resilience. The Minister of Science and Technology outlines the government's initiatives to leverage science and technology for addressing health, agriculture, environmental challenges, disaster management, and promoting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also describes outreach programs for increasing public awareness of scientific advances.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC):**
* The government has launched nine National Missions under NAPCC.
* NAPCC provides a framework for climate actions through National missions in areas like Solar energy, Energy efficiency, Water, Agriculture, Himalayan ecosystem, Sustainable Habitat, Green India, Strategic knowledge for Climate Change and Health.
* The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is implementing two National Missions: National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) and National Mission of Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC).
* **Centres of Excellence (CoEs):**
* Under NMSKCC, CoEs have been established at various institutions for research on agriculture, health, climate adaptation, and resilience.
* A Task Force project supports research on Himalayan Agriculture under the NMSHE.
* **Disaster Management and Climate Resilience:**
* DST and the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) are supporting research on Early Warning Systems for various disasters.
* DST supports bilateral projects focused on Floods and Drought extremes.
* DST has established a CoE on Disaster Risk Reduction at IIT Roorkee.
* Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is promoting “smart technologies” for efficient and sustainable farming.
* **Translation of Innovations for Rural Areas:**
* DST and DBT promote grassroots innovations for community solutions and sustainable rural development.
* The Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG) adapts and deploys technologies tailored for rural needs.
* The government supports startups and entrepreneurship through incubation networks.
* **Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):**
* DST promotes research to improve livelihoods and supports multiple SDGs.
* The ‘Global Pilot Programme on STI for SDGs’ prepares roadmaps to drive SDG targets.
* **Outreach Programs for Public Awareness:**
* DST's National Missions on Climate Change (NMSHE and NMSKCC) have a mandate for capacity building and public awareness.
* State Climate Change Cells (SCCCs) have been established to improve outreach.
* The National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC) implements programs to increase public awareness.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Rural Communities**
* **Impact:** Access to affordable products and solutions, improved livelihoods, sanitation, water, energy, and agricultural tools.
* **Action Required:** Engage with programs and initiatives to adopt innovations.
**Stakeholder: Scientific Community and Researchers**
* **Impact:** Funding and support for research in areas like disaster management, climate resilience, and sustainable agriculture.
* **Action Required:** Conduct research aligned with government priorities and collaborate with institutions.
**Stakeholder: Government Departments (DST, MoES, DBT, ICAR)**
* **Impact:** Implementation of national missions, supporting research projects, and promoting public awareness.
* **Action Required:** Continue to implement programs, allocate funding, and coordinate activities.
**Stakeholder: General Public**
* **Impact:** Increased awareness of scientific advances and climate change issues.
* **Action Required:** Participate in outreach programs and engage with educational materials.
Key Entities Referenced
National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC): An overarching framework for climate actions in India.
Department of Science and Technology (DST): A key department implementing the NAPCC and promoting scientific research.
National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE): A National Mission under NAPCC focused on the Himalayan Ecosystem.
National Mission of Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC): A National Mission under NAPCC focused on Climate Change.
Ministry of Science and Technology: The primary ministry involved in leveraging science and technology for development and climate resilience.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2955
ANSWERED ON 17/12/2025
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND
CLIMATE RESILIENCE
2955. SHRI ANUP SANJAY DHOTRE:
Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to
state:
(a) whether the Government is leveraging science and technology
to address health, agriculture, and environmental challenges and if so,
the details thereof;
(b) whether technologies are being developed for disaster
management and climate resilience and if so, the details thereof;
(c) the manner in which innovations are translated into affordable
products and solutions for rural areas;
(d) the details of the role of Government in promoting Sustainable
Development Goals through technology; and
(e) the details of outreach programs to increase public awareness
of scientific advances?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES
(DR. JITENDRA SINGH)
(a) Government has launched nine (9) National Missions under the
National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) for leveraging Science
and Technology to address health, agriculture and environmental
challenges. The NAPCC provides an overarching framework for all
climate actions through the implementation of different National
missions in specific thematic areas, including Solar energy, Energy
efficiency, Water, Sustainable agriculture, Himalayan ecosystem,
Sustainable Habitat, Green India, Strategic knowledge for Climate
Change and Health.
Under NAPCC, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) is
implementing two (2) National Missions, viz. National Mission for
Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) and National Mission of
Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC), which are
dedicated to promote scientific research & other developmental
activities in different thematic areas.
Page 1 of 3Under NMSKCC, Centres of Excellence (CoEs) have been established at
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
(ICRISAT), Hyderabad; Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi; Tamil
Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore and Indian Council of
Medical Research – National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR-NIMR),
New Delhi for coordinated research on Agriculture, Health, Climate
adaptation and Resilience. Furthermore, a Task Force project has been
also supported to carry out research on Himalayan Agriculture under
the NMSHE. In addition, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) is
supporting research for improving the crops and human health.
(b) A number of technologies are being developed for Disaster
management and Climate resilience with Government support. DST and
the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) have supported research on Early
Warning Systems for cyclones, floods, landslides, heatwaves, lightning,
drought, and Glacial Lake Outburst floods (GLOFs). DST has also
supported the bilateral (India-Dutch) collaborative projects focused on
Floods and Drought extremities in both India and the Netherlands for
the development of Digital Twins for Adaptive Urban Resilience to
Water Extremities, Low-cost Disaster Emergency Services for
Communities and AI enabled smart forecasting systems. Moreover, DST
has established a dedicated CoE on Disaster Risk Reduction at Indian
Institute of Technology, (IIT) Roorkee. Besides this, the Indian Council
of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is promoting “smart technologies”,
precision farming, remote sensing, Geospatial tools, digital agriculture,
and automation to make farming more efficient, resilient, and
sustainable. Further, DST and DBT have also supported research
projects for the development of Climate-Resilient varieties of rice and
chickpea.
(c) Through various initiatives of the Government, innovations are
being translated into affordable and accessible products for rural areas.
DST and DBT promotes grassroot innovations into community solutions
for Sanitation, Water, Energy, agriculture, and small-scale livelihoods
to foster inclusive and sustainable rural development through society
based programs. The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA),
implements an initiative, the Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG)
to adapt and deploy technologies tailored for rural needs e.g.,
affordable Water purifiers, Energy-efficient devices and Agricultural
tools.
Besides this, the Government also supports startups and
entrepreneurship through incubation networks under its various
flagship programmes such as National Initiative for Developing and
Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI), Atal Innovation Mission, S&T
Page 2 of 3Entrepreneurship Development initiatives, and Common Facility
Centres.
(d) DST promotes Research in different sectors for improvement in
livelihoods of weaker sections, expanding access to Water, Clean
energy, Sanitation, infrastructure, and skills through technology
intervention, which directly support multiple Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs). Another initiative ‘Global Pilot Programme on STI
(Science, Technology and Innovation) for SDGs’ launched by the Office
of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA), aims to prepare national and
state-level roadmaps to drive SDG targets, prioritise key technologies
for integration into planning.
(e) The Government of India has several outreach programs to
increase public awareness of scientific advances. DST’s National
Missions on Climate Change, i.e., NMSHE and NMSKCC, have a
dedicated mandate for capacity building and public awareness on the
impact of climate change and related issues. Under these missions,
State Climate Change Cells (SCCCs) have been established in 30
States/UTs to improve outreach and community awareness.
Additionally, DST’s CoEs on Climate Change are also mandated to
conduct public awareness programs. Further, the National Council for
Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC) of DST also implement
programs to increase public awareness for scientific advancement
through mass media, digital content, training of science
communicators, and grassroot science-communication.
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