Srinagar, Sep 9: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Wednesday held detailed deliberations with stakeholders of the Manthan platform of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA), Government of India, to discuss the roadmap and institutional framework for implementing RuTAGe Smart Village Centres (RSVCs) across Jammu and Kashmir.

The meeting focused on translating the RSVC concept into a practical and outcome-oriented model suited to the diverse socio-economic and geographical needs of the Union Territory.
The initiative seeks to bring appropriate science, technology and innovation closer to rural communities while creating opportunities for entrepreneurship, skill development, livelihood enhancement, local value addition and improved service delivery.
Dulloo called for a day-long workshop involving all relevant departments, universities, technology institutions, grassroots organisations and other stakeholders to comprehensively deliberate on the programme and evolve a clear, actionable implementation strategy.
He emphasised that building local capacity would be critical to sustaining the initiative beyond its initial phase. Technologies introduced through RSVCs, he said, should be adapted to local requirements and translated into tangible benefits for rural communities.
The Chief Secretary directed the Science & Technology Department to function as the nodal department for the initiative in J&K and maintain close coordination with the PSA’s office and other Manthan stakeholders on technology identification, institutional partnerships, capacity building and implementation support.
He identified hydropower, agriculture, horticulture, handicrafts, hospitality, education, geriatric care and drug-abuse rehabilitation among sectors with significant potential for technology-driven transformation under the RSVC framework.
Dulloo also stressed convergence with existing flagship initiatives, particularly Mission YUVA and the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM). He said Mission YUVA could help link technology adoption with youth entrepreneurship, innovation and employment, while JKRLM could facilitate the outreach of suitable technologies to rural self-help groups, producers and livelihood-based enterprises.
Calling for an ambitious and results-oriented approach, the Chief Secretary said funding should not become a constraint where interventions demonstrate clear potential to improve livelihoods and quality of life. He emphasised the selection of technologies capable of delivering measurable and sustainable community-level outcomes.
The proposed RSVC network is envisaged as a technology-enabled rural ecosystem that connects local challenges with appropriate innovations and converts scientific and technological advances into opportunities for entrepreneurship, productivity, employment and improved quality of life across rural J&K.
The meeting was attended by senior officers, including the ACS Finance, Commissioner Secretaries of FCS&CA, GAD, Education and Science & Technology, Secretary Rural Development Department, Director General Rural Sanitation and other concerned stakeholders.