Technology Desk Lucknow ,The Council of Science & Technology, UP engages in various activities and programs in the fields of research and development, biotechnology, engineering, innovation, intellectual property conservation, etc., wherein there is a consistent growth every year. Last year, 114 research projects from various scientific fields were approved, which is a historic achievement for the Council of Science & Technology, UP. 
To encourage projects based on innovation and addressing local and environmental issues by final year engineering students in Uttar Pradesh, the CSTUP Engineering Student Project Grant Scheme was initiated in the year 2017. Under this scheme, projects are invited from final year B.Tech. students. In the year 2023-24, original proposals from students of technical universities and colleges in Uttar Pradesh were invited through the council's portal for project development. This year, 475 projects were received under this scheme, which were evaluated by committees of experts from various technical institutions in the state.

After evaluation, 60 projects were selected for a maximum grant of Rs. 20,000/- each.
In the final week of December 2023, an initial amount of Rs. 10,000/- was transferred to the bank accounts of students for project development in the first phase of the scheme. In the second phase, the final demonstration and evaluation program of the previously selected 60 projects were organized by the Science and Technology Council, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, on 27th April 2024. Subject matter experts from various technical institutions were included in the 9-member evaluation committee for project evaluation.

All participating students enthusiastically presented their projects to the evaluation committee and highlighted the utility of the projects in social and environmental welfare. The evaluation committee assessed the novelty and utility of the projects and provided guidance to students for possible improvements and new directions in science and technology.
Most of the projects related to computer science and IT utilized modern technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Blockchain, etc. One such project is the 'Arduino based Star and Planet Tracker', which utilizes an Arduino microcontroller to precisely track celestial bodies in the night sky. This project received praise from the Council's scientific officer and mentor of the Uttar Pradesh Amateur Astronomers Club, Mr. Sumit Kumar Srivastava, who mentioned that currently, computerized mounts are imported into India. This is a completely new and indigenous model of a computerized mount.

Another project related to the assessment and prediction of Nomophobia, i.e., mobile phone addiction, using machine learning, aims to identify smartphone addiction among students. Other projects include the use of Blockchain technology to detect counterfeit drugs, using Artificial Intelligence to detect lung cancer, preventing accidents due to driver drowsiness using machine learning, identifying various pollutants in the Ganges water, and assessing water quality.
Bacillus Bacteria are being used in civil engineering to increase concrete strength, produce biogas from crop residues, implement an early landslide warning system, manufacture high-quality bricks from coal ash, make concrete using waste, and utilize Water Hyacinth and Senegal Fever Few plants in concrete, among other selected projects.

From mechanical engineering, projects selected include driverless vehicles, electricity generation from plastic waste, hybrid wind turbines, cost-effective 3D printing filament, and gas leakage detection systems.
Electrical engineering projects include smart sugar cane harvesting, smart traveling assistant systems for the disabled, smart IoT-based electrical vehicle charging stations, among others.
From electronics and communication engineering, projects such as IoT-based cattle intrusion detection systems, which can scare away stray animals from fields, waste management systems based on IoT, self-defense systems for women, and IoT-based water waste segregators have been selected.
Mr. Radhey Lal, Joint Director, mentioned that all selected projects are highly useful for solving daily life, local, regional, and state issues. Mr. Shiv Prasad, Secretary of the Council of Science and Technolog, U.P. appreciated the projects and encouraged the students with his blessings. He particularly praised the project "Solar Powered Tri-Cycle for the Disabled" by students of Dr. Ambedkar Institute for Handicapped, Kanpur, and the newly developed "Gas Leakage Detection System" by students of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya Awadh University, Ayodhya. He emphasized the importance of these projects for differently-abled individuals. Dr. Pooja Yadav, Joint Director of the Council of Science and Technology, UP praised the innovative project "Extraction of Spent Lithium using Green Solvent" by students of IET, Lucknow, and highlighted its potential as an excellent solution for e-waste management in the future, stressing its importance for environmental conservation.

After the exhibition and evaluation of all 60 projects, Mr. ___ was awarded the first prize of INR 1,00,000, Mr. ___ received the second prize of INR 75,000, and Mr. ____ was honored with the third prize of INR 50,000 along with certificates of appreciation. Additionally, five projects were provided with a consolation prize of INR 5,000 each, and certificates were given to all participants and their guide teachers.
The program began with a welcome address by Dr. Huma Mustafa, Joint Director of the Council, welcoming all participants. Dr. D.K. Shrivastava, Director, provided an overview of the program. Mr. Shivprasad, Secretary of the Council of Science and Technology, UP felicitated all participants. Mr. Sumit Kumar Shrivastava, Scientific Officer, and other officials and staff members contributed their support in various activities during the program. Mr. Sandeep Yadav conducted the proceedings of the program. The program concluded with a vote of thanks by Ms. Pooja Yadav, Joint Director.