SITA head talks about local projects & how innovation can make a difference

The State Innovation and Transformation Aayog (SITA) is less spoken about. But it has the zeal to change a lot of the state. An exclusive interview with the vice chairman of SITA, Ramen Deka (RD), to know more about SITA’s plan for the state. Excerpts:

BNE: Please tell us something about State Innovation and Transformation Aayog.
RD: The State Innovation and Transformation Aayog (SITA) was formed along the lines of NITI Aayog. The objective of State Innovation and Transformation Aayog was to innovate some new ideas which can be percolated to the grounds. We have a mandate to monitor all these developments like central and state government schemes.  Mainly, we do research and development which can lead to economic upliftment of the state. For instance, we have done Samriddhi Poultry- which is an initiative to grow eggs.
Similarly, we have selected five institutions for UPSC coaching. We gave resources to five colleges to build the infrastructure, to give career counselling, and coaching on how to crack these exams. 
We have given K C Das Commerce College a task for career counselling of students of Kamrup Metro and Kamrup Districts.  
Another good thing we did recently was linked to Breast Cancer. With the collaboration with the Cancer Institute of Guwahati Medical College and Gauhati University we have financed them to find out the root cause and the remedy of that disease.
We have done a survey with Cotton University to study the impact of floods on the livelihood of the rural masses. It was checked whether they can convert the flood into an agriculture-based work so that more food grains can be produced.
Now, we are planning to study the hydrology of Brahmaputra as we don’t have this study. We had a talk with Professor Iyer, who is the Director (officiating) of IIT Guwahati for a survey. 
We have collaborated with ASTEC (Assam Science Technology and Environment Council) too. We have adopted a village where we have trained young ladies for beekeeping. They are doing very well. 
We have surveyed the rural market. It is an ongoing project. We are observing what is deficient in the rural market and what we can improve in it so that farmers can come in the rural market without middlemen. 
If the masses are economically sound, then the state will be economically sound as well.

BNE: What innovation and transformation is SITA doing to promote the state’s business ecosystem?
RD: We must have a sustainable system. We are already in touch with IIT Guwahati for solid waste management. Another person is also coming up with a small machine which is in a very preliminary stage for solid waste management and can produce fertiliser for rural small gardens.
We have also given a herbal medicinal plantation project to Rangia College. The Botany department of the college is doing that. We have submitted two proposals. We have submitted two proposals to Ayush Ministry for herbal plantation which will give sustainable development. It will give economic sustainability to the growers also. 

BNE: What is SITA doing to attract business from domestic and international markets?
RD: We have not gone with that subject. We are trying to contain ourselves with limited resources to innovate some new ideas from local sources. We want to percolate this to the masses. We have given IIT to survey all these old temples with an NGO dealing with archaeology. We must conserve this repository so that Assam can proudly say that we are a very old state which is built centuries ago and we are keeping that. We want to keep them alive.

BNE: How SITA is collaborating with private enterprises?
RD: Yes. There is a scope. We have not gone into it. Now, we are working with government organisations such as Gauhati University, Tezpur University, IIT Guwahati and Assam Agricultural University. When more funds will be allotted then we will call for private organizations as well.

BNE: What regulatory framework SITA is adopting for business purposes?
RD: We are not doing anything for business purposes. We have limited innovative ideas with local research scholars, local colleges and universities. We have given Boko College, which is a star college. They have surveyed for Drone club. The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has said that we must train our new generation for drones. For this, there is a need for a survey. We have surveyed how we can go to schools and colleges for drones etc. Now we are given a proposal which will enrich the livelihood of the students. The Dakshin Kamrup College of Rangia has a proposal for a one-year certificate course. We will finance them. After getting certificates there are abundant jobs for them. Such things are happening that will develop business and will give self-employment.

BNE: What are the challenges SITA has faced so far?
RD: Challenges are always there in the new department. The limited fund is a challenge for SITA. There are many problems that we can choose in-house and do research for solutions.

BNE: What future goals SITA has for the development of the state for the young generation?
RD: For the young generation, we have the career counselling cell, Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the herbal plantation will inspire young people, and the breast cancer survey is for the young generation. We give training to girls for beekeeping. We cannot finance everybody but the bank will finance all the economically viable projects.

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