RuTAG program must focus on practical rural challenges, says Ajay Kumar Sood

Professor Ajay Kumar Sood, the Principal Scientific Adviser to the government, has emphasized that the RuTAG program must prioritize addressing practical and genuine challenges within rural communities. During a review meeting, Sood stated that technological interventions should focus on depth of impact, scalability, and sustainability, noting that “the objective should increasingly be depth of impact rather than breadth of activity.”

He further stressed that while affordability is important, it must not compromise the quality, reliability, safety, or durability of technologies. As certain technologies reach maturity, Sood suggested they should transition from program-supported development toward adoption by industries, enterprises, or relevant institutions.

Established in 2004, RuTAG aims to bridge the gap between scientific institutions and rural technological needs. The updated ‘RuTAG 2.0’ initiative, launched in 2023, places a stronger emphasis on field engagement, technology validation, commercialization, and scale-up. Additionally, the RSVC-AMRIT platform, a collaboration between NABARD and the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, was highlighted as a tool for supporting technology discovery, validation, and deployment.