New Delhi, Feb 11 (KNN) Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), think-tank under the Department of Science and Technology has launched a job portal Saksham that will conduct skills mapping exercises of workers as per requirements of MSMEs.

It also launched a seaweed cultivation mission on TIFAC's 34th Foundation Day.

The DST said that the ''Saksham'' job portal, launched by the Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), will help eliminate middlemen, labour contractors as well as help in identification of skill proficiency level and development of skill cards for ''shramiks'' (workers).

"This initiative will facilitate placement of 10 lakh blue-collar jobs (pan-India), directly connect shramiks with MSMEs eliminating middlemen/labour contractors, identification of skill proficiency level and development of skill cards for shramiks. This portal will reduce the hardship of shramiks in finding jobs in nearby MSMEs," it added.

By an estimate, if seaweed cultivation is done in 10 million hectares or five per cent of the Exclusive Economic Zone area of India, it can provide employment to 50 million people, the DST said.

TIFAC will demonstrate a model along with other in-line ministries for commercial farming of seaweeds and its processing for value addition towards boosting the economy, the DST added.

Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary at DST, underlined how the Science Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP) and efforts by the TIFAC, could bring about cultural changes to connect the invention and innovation ecosystem and instil confidence to realise self-reliance in every sector through science and technology.

"Our initiatives have already generated several start-ups. However, there can be a massive escalation in the numbers if we can trigger confidence in the youth to have their own start-ups. Atamanirbharata needs a change in mind-set. The youth needs to think beyond themselves for the larger good of society," Sharma said.

On increasing non-linearity of science, V K Saraswat, Member Science, Niti Aayog, and Chairman-TIFAC identified the technological priorities of the future like cyber-physical systems, quantum computing, green chemistry and water.

He stressed that it is imperative to focus on technologies that can make India self-reliant or Atmanirbhar and are futuristic as well.

"We should identify those areas where technologies have made breakthroughs and bring in indigenous technologies to be independent and globally competent. It is important to make sure we have an eye on the future as well as on the present, and that is where TIFAC''s role comes in a big way," Saraswat said.

He also added that the National Research Foundation (NRF) announced recently that it would create an ecosystem for providing a platform for futuristic research to bring our country at par with the rest of the world.