DST Calls for Proposals to Protect General Public from COVID-19

A statutory board under the Department of Science and Technology (DST)—the Technology and Development Board (TDB) has invited ideas and proposals from the country’s companies and enterprises. The proposals are expected to address the protection and home-based respiratory intervention for COVID-19 patients.

Jumping into further details, DST stated that the term proposals refers to technologically innovative solutions from the following areas:

• Low-cost masks that can capture virus in the air and absorb respiratory droplets.
• Sanitisation ideas for large areas including electrostatic spray and UV treatment for surfaces such as ceramic, glass, wood, and textile.
• Low-cost and portable ventilators and oxygenators.
• Cost-effective thermal scanning devices.
• Bio-informatics and surveillance.
• Quick and accurate diagnostic kits (paper-based and other point-of-care devices.
• Artificial intelligence and Internet-of-Things-based contact-less entry systems.

The board has come forward to provide financial assistance in the form of soft loans of up to 50% of the project cost at an annual rate of 5%. It also has promised equity participation of up to 25% of the project cost. In exceptional cases, the board is ready to provide grants to encourage the commercial application of original technology and for adapting imported technology for a wide range of domestic applications.

Also Read: Govt: No Toll Collection During the 21-Day Lockdown Period

Though the other viral diseases had spread across the continents and caused fatalities in the last few decades, COVID-19 pandemic has put the healthcare systems across the globe on a check. There is an urgent need for efficient masks and sanitisers, home-based ventilator systems, and other technologies and products to protect the general public. These products can monitor and control the spread of the disease.

The proposals can be submitted online through the official website of TDB, i.e. www.tdb.gov.in. They will be evaluated based on technical, scientific, financial, and commercial merits.

For any clarifications/feedback on the topic, please contact the writer at apoorva.n@cleartax.in