CSIR-IHBT Steps Into National Smart Village Mission With Ground-Level Outreach
A major push toward rural transformation is taking shape as the CSIR–Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), Palampur, joins thirteen other national institutes in the ambitious SMART VILLAGE Mission Mode Project. The initiative, aligned with the government’s “Viksit Bharat” vision, will officially launch on 20 December 2025 in Sawaipura village of Pali, Rajasthan.
As part of the mission, six villages across Ladakh, Assam, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan have been selected to be developed into model Smart Villages using homegrown technologies created by CSIR laboratories.
To prepare for the rollout, teams from CSIR‑IHBT recently visited Sawaipura (Pali, Rajasthan) and Junakimandal (Jorhat, Assam). Their goal was simple but crucial: understand the ground reality before introducing new technologies.
Scientists spent time speaking with villagers, panchayat members, NGOs, district officials, farmers, and women’s groups. These conversations offered insights into daily livelihoods, farming practices, income sources, and the challenges people face in remote regions.
The discussions focused on areas where IHBT’s expertise could make a real difference — floriculture, dry flower technology, fruit cultivation, beekeeping, post‑harvest processing, and value addition. The teams also explored ways to address malnutrition and improve overall community health.
The visits were primarily aimed at assessing each village’s needs and identifying opportunities where scientific interventions could boost incomes and support sustainable development.
CSIR‑IHBT Director Dr. Sudesh Kumar Yadav praised the team’s efforts and emphasized the importance of working closely with local communities. He expressed confidence that the institute’s technologies, once implemented, would bring meaningful improvements to the lives of villagers.
