Principal Scientific Adviser Chairs Third RuTAG 2.0 Annual Review Meeting
Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, chaired the Third Annual Review Meeting of the Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG) 2.0 projects on September 24-25, 2026, at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, Uttarakhand. The meeting was organized by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (OPSA) and brought together stakeholders from all seven RuTAG Centres to assess cumulative progress of projects under RuTAG 2.0.
Program Background and Focus Areas
RuTAG was conceptualized in 2003-04 and formally established in 2004 by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to connect scientific and technical institutions with rural technology needs. RuTAG 2.0, launched in 2023, places greater emphasis on field engagement, technology validation, commercialization, scale-up, and wider application of technologies. The review meeting specifically focused on technology maturity, field validation, measurable outcomes, pathways for wider adoption, and the future course of the program.
Key Addresses and Strategic Directions
In his address, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood emphasized that RuTAG must remain focused on addressing practical and genuine challenges faced by rural communities, with technological interventions being scalable and sustainable. He stated that the objective should be "depth of impact rather than breadth of activity" and stressed that affordability should not compromise quality, reliability, safety, or durability. Prof. Sood also referenced the RSVC-AMRIT platform developed by NABARD in collaboration with OPSA for supporting technology discovery, validation, deployment, and collaboration.
Dr Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, OPSA, observed that RuTAG technologies have reached a stage where their contribution needs to be considered in the context of broader rural value chains and livelihood systems rather than as standalone technological solutions. She highlighted the role of State Governments, producer organizations, financial institutions, incubators, manufacturers, and local fabricators in supporting adoption and utilization of RuTAG technologies.
Prof. Kamal Kishore Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, emphasized the need to translate research outcomes into practical solutions and viable models that can support sustainable agriculture, local livelihoods, employment and entrepreneurship, particularly in remote and rural regions. He underscored the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration, efficient use of water and other resources, and local manufacturing and technology deployment.
Participating Institutions and Outputs
All seven RuTAG Centres participated in the review: IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Madras, IIT Roorkee, ICAR-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM) Hyderabad, and Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) Kashmir. Each center presented their cumulative progress, covering technology readiness, field validation, user feedback, measurable outcomes, documentation, fabrication and manufacturing pathways, and institutional linkages.
A compendium of technologies developed under RuTAG 2.0 (2023-2026) by the RuTAG Centre at SKUAST-Kashmir was released during the meeting, documenting the technologies and interventions undertaken by the Centre during this period.
Exhibition and Facility Visits
Exhibition stalls were set up by all seven RuTAG Centres to showcase selected technologies and interventions developed under RuTAG 2.0. Participants visited key research and technology facilities at IIT Roorkee, including the Hydro Turbine Testing Laboratory, RuTAG Laboratory, Biomass and Biochar Research Laboratory (BBRL), and Environmental Bio Research Laboratory (EBRL), where they were briefed on ongoing research, testing and technology-development activities.
Conclusion and Future Direction
The two-day meeting concluded with deliberations on strengthening pathways for mature technologies to move towards wider adoption, building stronger institutional linkages, promoting collaboration across the RuTAG network, and sustaining the uptake of technologies developed to address identified rural needs. The meeting emphasized that technologies which have reached maturity should progressively move beyond program-supported development towards adoption by relevant institutions, enterprises, or industry.