Dr. Jitendra Singh chairs first combined Science Secretaries meeting at Kartavya Bhavan

New Delhi– Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh chaired a high-level review meeting with Science Secretaries at Kartavya Bhavan, New Delhi. This marked the first combined review meeting in the Ministry’s new premises.

The meeting was attended by the Principal Scientific Adviser, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, along with senior officials from the Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, DST, DBT, CSIR, ISRO, and MoES.

Dr. Singh directed departments to handhold and promote startups, integrating them into national science initiatives such as the Indian International Science Festival (IISF). He highlighted that IISF has become a people-centric platform, bridging innovation with public outreach.

He also reviewed preparations for the Emerging Science, Technology & Innovation Conclave (ESTIC), India’s flagship platform for innovators, Nobel Laureates, and global experts. The Minister emphasized ESTIC’s role in showcasing deep-tech breakthroughs and shaping India’s roadmap towards “Viksit Bharat 2047.”

Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of the Bio-E3 (Bio-Economy, Employment, Environment) Policy, Dr. Singh urged all departments to accelerate biotechnology initiatives, calling it a sunrise sector with high potential for economic value creation.

The Minister also reviewed the performance of MoES and IMD against the backdrop of recent heavy rains, stressing the need for stronger real-time forecasts and early warning systems to safeguard lives.

Departments including DST, DBT, CSIR, ISRO, and MoES presented progress reports on directives from the previous monthly meeting. The session also featured a special discussion on strengthening science communication for better public awareness.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Ajit Kumar Mohanty (DAE), Dr. Rajesh Gokhale (DBT), Dr. M. Ravichandran (MoES), Dr. V. Narayanan (ISRO Chairman, virtually), Sh. Sunil Kumar (DST), and Dr. Mrityunjay Mohapatra (IMD) along with senior officers of science departments.