Year-End- Review of CSIR

• 28 Dec 2022

For Prelims: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Key Achievements

For Mains: Key Achievements of CSIR, Achievements of Indians in Science & Technology

Why in News?

Recently, the year-end-review of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) under the Ministry of Science & Technology was released.

What are the Key Achievements of CSIR?

• First-Ever Biofuel-Powered Flight:
  • CSIR facilitated India’s First-Ever Biofuel-Powered Flight paving the way for sustainable and alternative fuels when the first biofuel-powered flight was flagged off from Dehradun to Delhi.
    • The bio-aviation fuel was produced indigenously by the CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) from Jatropha oil and was based on the patented technology of the institute.
• Aroma Mission:
  • CSIR launched the CSIR-Aroma Mission in 2016 which seeks to bring about transformative change in the aroma sector through interventions in agriculture, processing and product development for fuelling the growth of the aroma industry and boosting rural employment.
• Indigenous Autoclave Technology:
  • CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) has successfully developed state-of-art Indigenous Autoclave Technology for processing advanced lightweight composites that are integral to modern-day civil and military airframes.
• Conversion of Plastic into Diesel:
  • CSIR-IIP and GAIL (Petroleum Business Company) have developed a technology that can convert 1 tonne of plastic waste and other Polyolefin products into 850 litres of the cleanest grade of diesel.
• Anaerobic Gas Lift Reactor (AGR):
  • CSIR- Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) has developed and patented a high-rate biomethanation technology known as AGR for the generation of biogas and bio manure from organic solid waste like poultry litter, food waste, press mud, cattle manure, Organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW), sewage sludge etc.
• RENEU Technology:
  • CSIR- National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) has developed this technology for the construction of wetlands that are sustainable wastewater treatment processes. Restoration of Nallah with Ecological Units (RENEU) was successfully implemented as a part of the National Mission to keep the Ganges clean for the pilgrims during the holy festival.
• Drishti Transmissometer:
  • CSIR-NAL has developed and transferred the technology of Drishti Transmissometer that has been deployed in many airports in India. The transmissometer is a visibility measuring system, useful for safe airport operations and landings.
• Head-Up Display:
  • A transfer agreement for the manufacturing of a new variant of Head-Up Display (HUD) for the Tejas Fighter Aircraft for commercial production has been signed between CSIR-Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO), Chandigarh and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
• Bharatiya Nirdeshak Dravya:
  • Bharatiya Nirdeshak Dravya (BND 420) is India’s first home-grown high purity gold reference standard developed through a collaboration among the India Government Mint (IGM), Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), CSIR-NPL and National Centre for Compositional Characterisation of Materials.
• Shale Gas:
  • CSIR-CIMFR has discovered shale gas in two areas in the Gondwana basin in Central India and Godavari basin. The total shale gas discovered so far in the country in these two basins is estimated to be about 63 trillion Cubic Feet (TCF).
    • It is considered as one of the best sources of non-conventional natural gas.
• Portable Reading Machine (PRM):
  • A reading device developed by CSIR-CSIO helps the visually impaired by reading the text aloud. The advanced reading machine named “Divya Nayan” is a stand-alone, PRM.
• Dimethyl Ether:
  • CSIR-NCL has set-up an indigenous process technology to create Dimethyl Ether (DME) from methanol.
    • DME is a clean fuel with potential to replace diesel and will be a non-fossil additive to LPG gas. This will also help the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana program, by reducing LPG imports.
• Earthquake Warning System:
  • A first-of-its-kind earthquake warning system has been developed by CSIR-CSIO. The system can sense tremors, record them and generate an SMS to the concerned action points, in real-time.
• Sindhu Sadhana:
  • The first indigenously built research vessel Sindhu Sadhana to gather samples for genome mapping of microorganisms in the Indian Ocean.
    • To understand the biochemistry and the response of the ocean to climate change, nutrient stress and increasing pollution.
• Green Crackers:
  • CSIR-NEERI developed Green Crackers in a bid to curb air pollution. A green logo and QR coding system were also launched to track manufacture & sale of counterfeit crackers.
• Heeng Cultivation:
  • For the first time, CSIR- Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT) introduced asafoetida (Heeng) cultivation in the Indian Himalayan region.
• Kisan Sabha App:
  • Kisan Sabha App has been developed by CSIR- Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) to connect farmers to the supply chain and freight transportation management system.
    • This portal acts as a one-stop solution for farmers, transporters, and other entities engaged in the agriculture Industry.
• Ksheer Scanner:
  • CSIR has developed a low-cost and portable Ksheer Scanner, a technology to detect adulterated milk.
• Rice Variety:
  • CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Rice Research at Hyderabad has released a new variety of rice that resists pests and is also beneficial for those with diabetes.
    • The new Improved Samba Masuri (ISM) rice variety is resistant to Bacterial Blight (BB).
• JIGYASA:
  • It is one of the major initiatives taken up by CSIR at national level to widen and deepen CSIR’s Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR) by connecting school students to scientists at CSIR.
• Purple Revolution:
  • CSIR enabled the famed Purple Revolution by introducing Lavender Cultivation in J&K benefiting farming families. India from being one of the importers of Lemongrass essential oil a few years back, now becomes one of the largest exporters in the world.
    • Indigenous development of Tulip bulb production under the Floriculture mission helped reduce the import of planting material.
• Gaon Ka Pani Gaon Mein:
  • CSIR has led a Mission mode project for developing Village Level Water Management (VLWM) Plans for augmenting water resources in selected villages.
    • Mission on High-Resolution Aquifer Mapping & Management in Arid Regions of North-Western India has also been launched and implemented in association with the Ministry of Jal Shakti under Jal Jeevan Mission.
• India's First Indigenously Developed Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus:
  • The bus uses hydrogen fuel cells and air to generate electricity for power and can run for 600 km without stopping. The only emission from the bus is water, thus making it the most environment friendly mode of transportation.
• Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL):
  • Recently, the Cabinet approved widening access of the TKDL database to users, besides patent offices, The opening up of the TKDL database to users will drive research & development, and innovation based on India’s valued heritage across diverse fields.
• Steel Slag Roads:
  • CSIR developed the steel slag valorisation technology to convert waste steel slag as road-making aggregates. Processed steel slag aggregates as developed through waste steel slag have been successfully utilized in the construction of India’s First Steel Slag Road in Surat.
• Maiden Flight of HANSA NG:
  • CSIR-NAL designed and developed Hansa NG aircraft which is an all composite two seat light trainer aircraft to be used as an ab-initio flying training aircraft for the flying clubs in India, with significant modifications on Hansa 3 aircraft to make it more useful as a trainer aircraft.
    • HANSA-NG is an upgraded version of HANSA, which saw the first flight in 1993, and was certified in 2000.
• 3D-Printed Patient-Specific Medical Implants:
  • CSIR-CSIO developed a technology for manufacturing patient-specific medical implants for several human body parts. The technology has been transferred to industry for commercial production and marketing of the product.
• Connect Global Indian Scientific Community on Digital Mode:
  • CSIR has developed a virtual platform - PRABHASS (Pravasi Bharatiya Academic and Scientific Sampark) Portal to connect with the global Indian S&T Diaspora for jointly addressing societal challenges/ problems.
• CSIR ‘Skill India Initiative’:
  • This initiative aims to equip young minds with the necessary technological skills through exposure to CSIR labs. More than 2 lakh people have been trained under the initiative.

Source: PIB