Year-End- Review of CSIR

Why in news?

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

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.
• PRABHASS portal:
  • 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 and problems.
• 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.
• 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.
• Discovered Shale Gas in two new areas:
  • 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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).
• 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.
• 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.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Which of the following scientific development is associated with Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)?

1. Development of steel slag valorisation technology

2. Introduction of portable ‘Ksheer Scanner’ to detect adulterated milk

3. Introduction asafoetida (Heeng) cultivation in the himalayan region.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1,2 and 3

Answer