Guwahati: The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati on Thursday hosted the Second Annual Review Meeting of the Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG) 2.0 projects, with Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof. A.K. Sood, attending as the chief guest.
Organised under the Office of the PSA, the event witnessed the participation of Dr Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary; Dr Rakesh Kaur, Adviser/Scientist ‘G’; Prof Devendra Jalihal, Director, IIT Guwahati; Prof Sashindra K Kakoty; Krishnan Kumar Tiwari, Registrar; and faculty members and researchers from IIT Guwahati.
Speaking during the event, Prof. A.K. Sood said, “This annual meeting is an important opportunity for us to review the progress and define our objectives for the future.
The Rural Science and Technology Partnership Centre envisions serving as a hub for 25 to 40 surrounding villages, and integrating technologies such as soil health management and satellite-based information, to strengthen rural development.
To achieve this goal, we must collectively focus on two key aspects, the diffusion of technologies beyond initial implementation areas, and ensuring standardization, documentation, testing and validation. I urge all the contributors to collaborate and collectively make a lasting impact in the lives of people in rural India.”
Welcoming the gathering, Director Prof Jalihal said the meeting brought together stakeholders working on technologies that directly impact society. “Your collective efforts have helped us gain the experience needed to scale these initiatives for greater impact. I look forward to learning from the innovative work being presented over the next two days,” he said.
The two-day review aims to assess the progress, impact and scalability of RuTAG 2.0 projects being implemented across various regions of the country. The initiative focuses on strengthening the link between scientific research and rural development through technology-driven solutions.
The event also featured an exhibition of grassroot innovators and RuTAG Centres showcasing technologies designed to solve rural-sector challenges.
A key highlight of the event was the inauguration of two new interdisciplinary research centres under the School of Agro and Rural Technology (SART) — the Centre for Innovation in Agri & Aqua Voltaics (CIAAV) and the Integrated Facility for Wellness-Product Innovation (IFWPI).
These centres aim to create livelihood opportunities through advancements in sustainable agriculture, aquaculture and wellness product development.
