Dr Jitendra Singh calls for taking science closer to society through greater outreach

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, and Vice-President, CSIR, Dr Jitendra Singh today called for taking the work of scientific institutions closer to society by systematically showcasing their technologies, success stories and societal applications, while dedicating to the nation, the first-of-its-kind CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI) ‘Eco-Educational Hub’ ‘Prakriti Gyan Dham’ at the Maharishi Parashar Bioresource Centre (MPBC), Banthra, Lucknow.

Dr Jitendra Singh said the outreach of scientific institutions should go beyond laboratories and institutional campuses, with greater use of digital and social media platforms to showcase successful technologies and initiatives so that farmers, entrepreneurs, students, industry and other stakeholders are able to access scientific solutions and opportunities for livelihood generation. He also called for greater integration of similar and complementary projects across Departments and Ministries, enabling institutions to work together and maximise the societal impact of scientific research and innovation.

Dr Jitendra Singh also called for scientific institutions to make greater use of their success stories and technological achievements for public outreach, not merely as a communication exercise but as a means of making potential users and stakeholders aware of solutions that can contribute to livelihoods and economic opportunities. The technology transfers at the programme provided a practical example of this approach, connecting institutional research with entrepreneurship, industry and livelihood generation. (UPDATED ON 8TH AUGUST 2026