• Principal scientific adviser to the union government Ajay Kumar Sood chaired the first joint science and technology clusters’ meet at Jodhpur.
• The meeting was organised by the Jodhpur City Knowledge and Innovation Foundation (JCKIF) and hosted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur.
• Seven City Science and Technology Clusters of Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jodhpur, Pune, and Chandigarh participated in the meeting.

ABOUT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CLUSTERS’

The Office of the PSA was placed under the Cabinet Secretariat in August 2018.

• Launched in 2020, the City S&T Clusters is a flagship initiative of the office of the principal scientific adviser, established on the recommendation of the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC).
• This initiative aims to tackle local challenges through S&T interventions by bringing together academia, research and development institutions, industries, startups and local governments.
• Currently, there are seven S&T clusters as listed above, all working together to find solutions to regional issues through collaborative efforts.
• It will create strong linkages between academic institutions, research laboratories, and other stakeholders.