New Delhi, Oct 7 (TIWN) As many as 75 Science Technology and Innovation (STI) hubs, exclusively for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), will be set up in different parts of the country, Union Minister of State for Science & Technology, Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday.

"In the last two years, 20 STI Hubs (13 for SCs, seven for STs) have already been established by the DST which will directly benefit 20,000 SCs and STs through various interventions, spreading across farm, non-farm, other allied livelihood sectors and various livelihoods assets like energy, water, health, education, etc," he said.  He said 75 STI Hubs will be set up in the country exclusively for SCs and STs with an aim to develop, nurture and ensure the delivery of appropriate and relevant technologies for creation of sustainable livelihoods for the SC and ST population. 

The Union minister of state (independent charge) science and technology said STI hubs will mainly have three-fold objectives.  The first is to address the weakest linkages in the predominant livelihood systems through science and technology (S&T) interventions, second is creation of social enterprises based on the strengths in livelihood systems and the last one is to improve the Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) through inputs of S&T for strengthening livelihoods.