A Lasting Partnership for Social Good:
DA with DST

The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India is the major policy and funding body for research and development in India. Recognising the importance of science and technology in the country, DST established a special science and society division during the fifth plan period. The department has been enrolling into partnerships with the Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) with deep social commitment in linking technology solutions for societal needs through its programmes under the science and society division.

Development Alternatives (DA), a non-profit organisation established in 1983 is engaged in research and action for sustainable development. DA is one of the better recognised organisations with a mission to link technological solutions with social good and sustainable development processes. DA has been active in the areas of technologies for building materials, energy services, cleaner production, management of natural resources and livelihood improvements. DA innovates, designs and disseminates technologies relevant to the social contexts of the people it strives to serve.

A long-lasting partnership has emerged between DST and DA over two decades, fostered by the resource connectivity of DST and social connectivity of DA. Under this partnership, several good deeds have been accomplished. DA is one of the celebrated organisations of the Core Support Programme of DST, providing the needed resources for sustained innovation and successful incubation of social enterprises on credible scales. DA is a strong votary to the cause of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the social context of the Indian economy.

The partnership between two well-meaning organisations has fostered an enduring relationship in terms of development and outreach of technologies for improvement of both livelihood and well being of communities in rural India. Areas of focus have been technologies for low cost housing and new building materials, textiles, handmade paper, renewable energy and protection of environment. Some important technology packages delivered by DA with the core support of DST include micro concrete roofing, compressed earth blocks, Jal-TARA water testing kits, biomass gasification, TARA looms, vertical shaft brick kilns and waste paper recycling. DA has partnered DST in a number of exercises focused on public awareness of science and technology.

The enterprise incubator for women (Udyamita Suvidha Kendra, Datia) forms an excellent case study. A technology park for and by established with project support from DST and a hand-holding role by DA has focused on creating sustainable generation of social income for a group of 40 women through home-based economic and micro enterprise activities. The ongoing partnership between DA and DST is further reinforced through a core grant support for five years for a range of activities in the Bundelkhand region.

DA’s efforts under the core grant support programmes of DST have been both intense and extensive. The effect of such efforts has been mostly in the form of enhanced social incomes to the tune of Rs 36,000 - 60,000 per annum for individuals and Rs 120,000 - 180,000 for entrepreneurs. Societal benefits flowing from the actions of DA in partnership with DST may have reached more than a million people. Even so, there is much more to be done. Therefore, the journey continues with further reinforcement and strengthening of a long-lasting partnership for social good.

The social sense of science needs to be articulated through ground actions with impact at grassroots levels. The task is hard, the challenge mighty. However empowered an agency might be, the task is too large for any individual agency to perform alone. Partnerships and collective actions among well-meaning agencies and people form the only way forward. There may be alternative paths to the development process, but there is only one proven path for providing sustainable developmental choices for inclusive growth. This path is based on coalition among the good and partnership between the able. Let the partnership between DA and DST deliver social good to the celebration of people to whom science should make social sense. The celebration of DA’s silver jubilee over 25 years of fruitful partnerships has been working steadily towards the good of the people of India. q