Parliament Question: Women benefited from Schemes

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5992 ANSWERED ON 01/04/2026 WOMEN BENEFITED FROM SCHEMES †5992. DR. SHIVAJI BANDAPPA KALGE:

SHRI GYANESHWAR PATIL:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the ongoing schemes related to science and technology in different parts of the country, particularly in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra;

(b) the details of number of people particularly women benefited from these schemes and got helped in starting their own business and State and district- wise particularly in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra;

(c) the State-wise and district-wise details thereof;

(d) the positive steps taken/being taken/proposes to be taken by the Government for smooth functioning of these schemes and to make them accessible to the people in rural areas of the country particularly in Maharashtra and to ensure the benefits of these schemes for all the people;

and

(e) the details of the steps taken by the Government in this regard so far? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a) The Ministry of Science and Technology is implementing a wide range of schemes across India, including Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, to strengthen research, innovation, and inclusive participation in science. Key initiatives such as the Women in Science and Engineering-KIRAN (WISE- KIRAN) promote women’s participation through fellowships like WISE-PhD, WISE-Post Doctoral Fellowship (WISE-PDF), WISE-SCOPE, WIDUSHI, and WISE- IPR, supporting careers from doctoral to senior research levels. The INSPIRE Programme nurtures talent from school to postdoctoral stages through components like INSPIRE-MANAK and INSPIRE-SHE. Innovation and entrepreneurship are encouraged through National Initiative for Developing Page 1 of 6and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) and Technology Business Incubators

(TBIs), including Promoting and Accelerating Young and Aspiring Innovators and Startups (PRAYAS) for prototype development. Research infrastructure is strengthened via schemes like Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure

(FIST) and Promotion of University Research and Scientific Excellence

(PURSE), along with facilities such as Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facilities (SAIF), Sophisticated Analytical & Technical Help Institutes (SATHI) and Mega Facilities for Basic Research (MFBR). Thematic programmes including State Science and Technology Programme (SSTP), Science and Heritage Research Initiative (SHRI), Science and Technology for Yoga and Meditation (SATYAM) and Cognitive Science Research Initiative (CSRI) promote region-specific and interdisciplinary research, while outreach efforts by National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) have supported 45 projects in Madhya Pradesh and 11 in Maharashtra. Under the Science for Equity, Empowerment and Development (SEED) Division, during the last three years, one project in Maharashtra was supported under the Strengthening, Upscaling and Nurturing Innovations for Livelihood (SUNIL) programme, while two projects in Madhya Pradesh were supported under the Science and Technology for Women (STW) programme. National missions such as National Supercomputing Mission, National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems, and National Quantum Mission aim to advance emerging technologies, while the Department of Biotechnology runs Biotechnology Career Advancement and Re-orientation Programme (Bio-CARe) for career development in biotechnology. Additionally, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) supports broad-based and focused R&D through grants like Advanced Research Grant (ARG), Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant (PMECRG), Inclusivity Research Grant (IRG), Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR), National Post- Doctoral Fellowship (NPDF) and Ramanujan Fellowship, alongside prestigious recognitions such as the National Science Chair and JC Bose Grant, having funded 52 projects in Madhya Pradesh and 117 in Maharashtra, thereby significantly contributing to scientific capacity building and innovation nationwide.

(b) to (c): The Government has implemented a wide range of initiatives to promote women’s participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), with measurable outcomes over the past decade. These schemes have significantly contributed to supporting women at different stages of their academic and professional journeys, including helping many restarts or establish their careers in research and development. The details of Page 2 of 6number of women benefited during the last three years from these schemes

are given below:

State/UTs Vigyan WISE-WISE- CURIE INPIRE- SHE INSPIRE INSPIRE Jyoti PhD PDF MANAK Fellowship Faculty Fellowship Andaman and 315 1 0 0 21 0 0 0 Nicobar Andhra 2669 0 2 1 5871 1 35 1 Pradesh Arunachal 974 0 1 0 13 0 3 0 Pradesh Assam 3644 11 4 0 177 49 59 1 Bihar 3352 0 0 0 3225 170 6 0 Chandigarh 303 4 9 1 168 4 25 0 Chhattisgarh 3861 2 0 2 4353 522 10 2 Dadar, Nagar 588 0 0 0 32 1 0 0 Haveli, Daman & Diu Delhi 595 12 33 2 300 75 76 19 Goa 304 2 3 0 79 4 17 2 Gujarat 4888 6 6 0 1878 95 45 3 Haryana 4075 1 1 0 1432 93 23 3 Himachal 2704 0 2 1 755 208 23 2 Pradesh Jammu and 2425 10 12 0 1506 23 48 4 Kashmir Jharkhand 3569 1 1 0 2474 12 11 3 Karnataka 3608 10 12 2 11213 33 103 26 Kerala 2790 26 12 7 567 630 86 6 Ladakh 499 0 0 0 22 0 0 0 Lakshadweep 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 Madhya 4056 9 4 2 2949 834 41 3 Pradesh Maharashtra 5008 20 17 2 3455 232 86 22 Manipur 1220 5 1 0 7 123 3 0 Meghalaya 1093 0 0 0 17 42 6 1 Mizoram 259 2 3 0 13 6 7 0 Nagaland 301 1 1 0 1 14 2 0 Page 3 of 6State/UTs Vigyan WISE-WISE- CURIE INPIRE- SHE INSPIRE INSPIRE Jyoti PhD PDF MANAK Fellowship Faculty Fellowship Odisha 3662 5 4 1 5691 52 39 2 Puducherry 1195 1 0 0 81 3 5 0 Punjab 4072 9 14 2 673 105 63 10 Rajasthan 4773 4 1 1 10107 3128 25 2 Sikkim 454 0 0 0 33 0 4 0 Tamil Nadu 0 21 14 10 2198 24 127 8 Telangana 2415 13 22 2 4596 32 81 6 Tripura 832 3 0 0 94 1 6 0 Uttarakhand 2661 8 7 0 2686 486 42 1 Uttar Pradesh 6672 10 16 2 7531 7574 87 14 West Bengal 3181 18 25 0 28 333 91 12 The details of number of women benefited from NIDHI-PRAYAS scheme who got supported in starting their start-up/business in the last ten years is given

below:

State/UTs No. of NIDHI-PRAYAS Beneficiaries Andhra Pradesh 23 Assam 3 Bihar 5 Chandigarh 1 Chhattisgarh 1 Delhi 15 Goa 2 Gujarat 27 Haryana 10 Himachal Pradesh 4 Jammu and Kashmir 5 Jharkhand 1 Karnataka 100 Kerala 45 Madhya Pradesh 7 Maharashtra 66 Manipur 1 Odisha 25 Punjab 1 Page 4 of 6State/UTs No. of NIDHI-PRAYAS Beneficiaries Rajasthan 17 Tamil Nadu 95 Telangana 44 Uttarakhand 6 Uttar Pradesh 24 West Bengal 6 The state-wise and district-wise number of women benefited from NIDHI-

PRAYAS scheme in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are given below:

State District No. of NIDHI-PRAYAS Beneficiaries Bhopal 3 Gwalior 2 Madhya Pradesh Indore 1 Ujjain 1 Amravati 2 Aurangabad 2 Dhule 1 Kolhapur 1 Mumbai City 22 Maharashtra Nagpur 2 Nashik 3 Pune 28 Raigad 2 Satara 1 Thane 2

(d) to (e): The Government has undertaken a wide range of proactive and coordinated measures to ensure the smooth functioning of STEM-related schemes and to make them accessible to people across the country including rural areas of Maharashtra. These efforts focus on expanding access, improving transparency, strengthening infrastructure, and ensuring inclusive participation so that the benefits of these initiatives reach all sections of society. To enhance accessibility and participation, the Government has promoted broad-based inclusion by extending research funding and opportunities to universities, colleges, and institutions in both urban and rural regions. Special emphasis has been placed on enabling institutions in underserved areas to actively participate in national programmes. A hub-and- spoke model has been encouraged, wherein leading institutions mentor and Page 5 of 6collaborate with smaller or rural institutions, thereby improving their research capabilities and access to resources.

Digitalization has been a key step toward ensuring efficiency and transparency in the implementation of schemes. Online portals have been developed and upgraded to facilitate the submission, monitoring, and evaluation of proposals, making processes more user-friendly and accessible even in remote areas.

Enhancements to platforms such as the INSPIRE-MANAK portal including chatbot support, improved data synchronization, and simplified nomination processes have further reduced barriers for students and schools, especially in rural regions.

The Government has also focused on strengthening infrastructure and research facilities across the country. Through schemes like FIST and PURSE, financial support has been provided to institutions for upgrading laboratories and acquiring modern equipment. Additionally, shared facilities such as SAIF and SATHI have been established to provide access to advanced scientific instruments for institutions that may not have such resources, thereby ensuring equitable access for rural and smaller institutions.

Capacity building has been another major area of intervention. Training programmes for teachers and researchers, including initiatives under Inspiring India in Research Innovation and STEM Education (iRISE) have been implemented to improve teaching quality, promote innovation-driven learning, and strengthen research skills. Early-career researchers are being supported through mentorship, industry exposure, and skill development opportunities, enabling them to contribute effectively to scientific advancement. Outreach and engagement activities have been expanded to increase awareness and participation. Science exhibitions, competitions, mentorship programmes, and institutional visits have been organized to inspire students and provide them with exposure to real-world STEM applications.

So far, these steps have resulted in improved participation from rural institutions, greater transparency in scheme implementation, enhanced infrastructure and research capacity, and increased access to mentorship and learning resources. Together, these measures have created a more inclusive and robust ecosystem that ensures the effective delivery of Government schemes and equitable access to their benefits for people across the country including rural areas of Maharashtra.

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